


The Stars Aligned

by Spinnerchild



Series: Relationship of Fate [1]
Category: Lost Boys (Movies)
Genre: Character conflict, David's Romantic Side, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Internal Conflict, Lots of Drugs, Multi, Possessive Behavior, Pre-Movie(s), Star's Dad is an Ass, Still Controlling Though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-22 21:37:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 85,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12491384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spinnerchild/pseuds/Spinnerchild
Summary: Star is a troubled young girl looking to escape.David is bored and looking for a distraction.They are on a collision course that will change both their lives forever.Pre-movie with a bit of both Star's and David's backgrounds.





	1. The Concert - David's POV

**Author's Note:**

> This is written from both David's and Star's points of view.
> 
> TLB is owned by Warner Bros, not me...

David pulled up outside the venue, his boys behind him in close succession. Getting off his bike he was pleased with the situation, pumped even, although he wouldn’t show it. Paul was the one who’d suggested it and initially had to basically drag David there, Paul had a thing for Stevie Nicks (who didn’t?) but now David was there he didn’t mind. Fleetwood Mac weren’t really David’s scene but he could think of worse bands to be listening to. There were people everywhere, in fact the place was packed and the main show was still ten minutes away from starting. The energy was high and the crowd was happy, most having pre-loaded before arriving or having been at the bar already, where the drinks were definitely flowing.

The boys began making their way through the people, absorbing the atmosphere and scanning their surroundings for anything or anyone that might interest them and, as David looked around, it looked like Gypsy Heaven. All the girls had flowing skirts and scarfs on and even though they were now firmly in the 80’s and the styles had definitely changed, the Gypsies were out in force to see their leader and hear her sing.

Suddenly the crowd exploded as the band appeared and the riff for Rhiannon began. This was actually a song he liked so they found a ledge to perch upon and he pulled out a cigarette.

‘This scene is good Paul.’ David approved and Paul smiled.

‘Hell yeah, it is.’ His eyes lighting up sighting Miss Nicks out on stage and then just as quickly he was distracted by a slender tan pair of legs walking past him. ‘I’ll be seeing you guys later.’ He added before jumping off the ledge, rolling his tongue back in his mouth and following after her. David smiled at Marko before looking back over at Dwayne who already had a girl standing in between his legs with her back against his chest. He flicked David a sideways glance and David finished his cigarette and fired it on the ground before putting his arm around Marko’s shoulders and propelled him off the ledge with him to go see who else they could find.

‘It’s just you and me now Marko.’ He said as they walked off. Marko was David’s newest acquisition and had a tendency to stick rather close to David and was very eager to do David’s bidding. David had taken him under his wing as his turning had been a difficult one, more so than the other two, and David wanted to ensure he’d adjust. Marko had been rather shy since turning six months ago and David knew finding him a girl would chill him out. Paul would fuck just about anything that moved as long as it was hot, or his definition of hot and in all honesty, Paul wasn’t that picky, and Dwayne could and did pull the supermodels of the world with his looks but Marko seemed to be a bit lost and here was a perfect place for him to be found. It’s not that he didn’t pull, he just wasn’t as active as the other guys. David had no problem pulling girls, but they were all just a fuck and a feed for him. No one seemed to possess any real depth or held any lasting appeal for him, not that they could keep any of them anyways, but he’d sometimes see a connection between Dwayne and his latest which he envied. They all either demanded too much from him or talked too much or instantly wanted to show him off to their idiot friends. They all annoyed him. Besides, Max had forbidden any females from being inducted so he was resigned to the fact that they couldn’t maintain anything with anyone anyways.

They continued through the masses as strong wafts of pot filtered through the people and David took a deep breath in, wishing he’d scored a smoke off Paul before he’d sauntered off after the pair of legs. Reading his mentors mind, Marko reached into his pocket and pulled out a cleanly rolled joint and held it up to David who smiled and happily took it from him.

‘Nice.’ David smiled sparking the end.

‘Hello…’ Marko said handing the burning spliff back to David as a fine young girl walked past them, giving Marko a shy smile.

‘Go.’ David said. It was more of an order than simple encouragement and Marko quietly followed after the girl. David continued to walk and smoke until he found a spot he was happy with and he settled in as Lindsay Buckingham belted out Big Love. It was then, as he surveyed those around him, he saw her. She stood out like a diamond, like a solitary star in the night’s sky and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. She had long dark curly hair, a slim build and as her eyes looked up and locked with his, he could have sworn his dead heart skipped a beat. She looked down and he was captivated. It was when she looked back up at him and turned to face him that he noticed her split lip on her delicate smile. He scanned the rest of her body for any other signs of abuse and couldn’t see anything obvious but what was glaringly obvious to him was her quiet vulnerability. She looked somewhat street smart to him but she possessed an air of fear about her. Looking at her lip again, he saw a purple tinge to the swollen lower and he felt a pang of protectiveness over the girl. Who would do that to the shining beauty standing before him? It was a strange feeling for him as she wasn’t anyone to him, he didn’t even know her. In fact he never felt protective over any one aside from his boys and yet here he was barely able to take his eyes off her and wanting to hurt the one who’d hurt her. She looked off to his left and then glanced quickly back to him and gave him a broader smile where he could see her perfect white teeth, in stark contrast to her deep red lipstick. She was stunning. The most beautiful girl here, in San Francisco even. He hadn’t seen her before, for surely he would have noticed a star as bright as her before and he figured she was a San Francisco local. She was young, maybe too young, he could see that but that fact wasn’t even a consideration to him. She quickly turned and left, walking away from him and he noticed two young men following her. Now normally that would have been it, he would let her go and not think twice about her but she was different. In a sea of black, she shone and he almost felt compelled to follow her. Moving from his spot he made his way after her and watched as the men caught up to her and pushed her off towards some trees and began yelling at her.

‘I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Get your ass home!’ One demanded of her. ‘Do you think I wanna be here collecting you? Dad is pissed and wants you home NOW!’ It was a sibling spat.

‘I don’t care. I am never going back there again.’ She answered him quietly, obviously not enjoying the public display the boy was creating.

‘If I go back there without you, he’ll kick my ass and I am not copping that for you, you selfish bitch!’ Dad sounded like a charmer. The boys walked towards her and grabbed her and she began struggling and fighting against them. David stood there watching as this was not something he would normally get involved in until her brother slapped her hard across the cheek, the hit loud enough for the people around to make ooohh sounds. Then he stepped in. He walked straight up to the brother and picked him up off the ground by his jacket and threw him slightly off balance and onto the ground. The other boy took one look at David and backed off a bit but otherwise stood his ground.

‘You OK?’ David asked her and she nodded.

‘What the fuck?!’ The brother clambered to his feet ready to fight. ‘Fuck off, this doesn’t concern you!’ He spoke carelessly to David with no comprehension of what he was inciting.

‘Ssshhh.’ David said patronizingly. ‘The girl said she didn’t want to go with you. She’s not going.’

‘Fuck you! She’s 16 years old and her dad wants her home. You wanna fuck with someone, you fuck with him.’ The boy spat.

‘Well, ‘Dad’ is going to have find us first.’ David smirked at the boy and the boy looked over at his friend then spun back around and attempted to swing his fist toward David. David caught his hand easily and, although all he wanted to do was smash his nose into his brain, he again tipped him and sent him crashing to the ground. ‘Now it’s time for you to fuck off and leave the girl alone.’ As he spoke a yellow glint appeared in his irises and in such bright blue eyes, it sent a shiver down the spine of the boy on the ground and he got to his feet and backed away.

‘It’s your ass you stupid bitch!’ He yelled at her before returning his gaze to the monster before him. ‘The slut is your problem now dickhead.’ He said before turning and storming off with his friend following after him. David turned to look at the girl and saw she was shocked and shaking slightly. Looking up at him with her large auburn eyes, she had a look of disbelief across her face.

‘Thank you.’ She said in the sweetest voice he’d heard in decades.

‘You’re welcome. Would you like to get a drink?’ He offered. ‘I could use one.’ He didn’t know what he was doing, he never went for drinks or socialised with girls but he really didn’t want this one skipping off straight away.

‘Sure.’ She answered walking off with him towards the bar. Walking through the mass of people, he took her hand in case they got separated and just touching her fingers, he could feel a spark he’d never felt before. He got them both drinks and they sat down on another ledge and she looked over at him. ‘Why did you do that?’

‘Because your brother is an asshole,’ She snorted quietly in agreeance ‘and you didn’t seem like you wanted to go with him.’

‘I didn’t.’ She said and he watched her nervously play with a sharp edge on her plastic cup. ‘What’s your name?’ She asked after a brief silence.

‘David.’ He said taking a large sip of his beer and pulling out a cigarette.

‘My name is…’ 

‘Ssshhh.’ He cut her off. He didn’t want her to ruin his illusion of her being his perfect shining star by giving him a boring name like Lisa or Jane. ‘I don’t want to know what everyone else calls you, what your dad or your brother call you. You are too beautiful for that.' He paused. 'You are a diamond, only bigger and brighter. I’m going to call you Star.’ He looked at her sideways. ‘Do you mind if I call you Star?’ He asked giving her his cheekiest flirty smile and she melted.

‘No, I like it.’ She smiled and sipped her beer. Somewhere off on the stage, Stevie Nicks began singing Dreams and he thought it was perfect, she was a dream come true for him. He slid off the ledge and went round to stand in front of her. She looked so small and nervous, like a little girl, and as he brought his hand up to stroke her cheek he swore he saw her flinch.

‘I’m not going to hurt you.’ He told her and he could instantly hear her heart beating harder in her chest. He slid his hand round the back of her neck and began to stroke the nape of her neck and watched in satisfaction when her eyes involuntarily closed to his touch. He knew he was having a deep effect on her, he was arousing her and in turn himself in the process. He pushed her legs apart and stood between them placing his other hand on her waist and leaned in for a kiss. She suddenly opened her eyes with his face a mere inch from hers and again he lay his influence on her thick culminating in a soft kiss on her stunning mouth. It slowly became deeper and more passionate and he felt her reach up and run her fingers through his hair. The kiss continued until they heard the crowd erupt after the song had finished and she pulled away from him. He stepped back and looked around to see if he could see any of his boys but none of them were in view. When he looked back at her, she had tied her hair up in a bun and she looked ravishing to him. He wanted to grab her and lock her up and keep her but he settled for another kiss. In his ninety-five years of being immortal, no one had ever made him feel the way he did tonight. He couldn’t think straight, Hell, he could hardly breathe.

‘I should really find my friend.’ She said beginning to look around. ‘I came here with her and she’s my ride home.’ He looked at her and she was beautifully flushed from the kiss and her vulnerability was back.

‘Let’s go for a walk then.’ David said holding out his hand to which she smiled and easily took. Holding hands wasn’t a David thing to do but right now he was very comfortable with it. They walked in silence for a few minutes before he spoke.

‘Star light, what happened to your lip? Was it your brother?’ When she didn’t answer, he looked down at her and she was touching her lip with her other hand not looking at him. ‘You can trust me.’ He reassured her and she looked up at him with her eyes beginning to water.

‘No, it wasn’t my brother.’ She said quietly.

‘What happened to you?’ He pushed. He wanted to know who dared to hurt his Star, but still she was silent. ‘Star?’ He compelled her and stopped walking to ensure an answer.

‘Um… It was my dad.’ She said, more tears forming.

‘Did he hit you?’

‘Not exactly.’ She said, her voice breaking.

‘What did he do?’ David asked pulling her closer.

‘He um… He raped me.’ She said, barely above a whisper and the rage inside him surged as he pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. Motherfucker. He’d rip him apart the first chance he got. ‘I shouldn’t even be telling you this.’ She pulled away from him. ‘It’s not your problem, I’m not your problem. I have to find Tee cause I have to stay at her place tonight.’ She was rambling and David suppressed his anger and accompanied her as she searched for her friend.

‘Where did she go?’ David asked her as he interlinked his fingers with hers again.

‘Ah, she found a specimen she liked and told me to meet her here later. I didn’t actually see him but she said he had on a colourful jacket, long blonde hair and the brightest blue eyes.’

Marko.

She stopped and looked at him ‘Well, I don’t believe they are quite as surreal as yours but according to her they were.’ She laughed, looking around for either of them. David’s mind began spinning, Marko had picked her friend up and David knew exactly what Marko did with pretty young girls he picked up. They didn’t end up looking so pretty.

‘Marko, have you fed?’ David mentally spoke to his brother.

‘Yes sir, just ditched to body with Paul’s. Have you?’

‘Ah, no. Where are you?’

‘On our way back, see you out the front soon.’ Fuck. He briefly wondered how she was going to cope with this as, even though externally she seemed quite strong, internally she was fragile. His thoughts threw him, he never gave a shit about how any mortal felt about their activities. Who the Hell was she? Had this girl somehow changed him in the space of a couple of hours? What the fuck was happening here?

‘Let’s keep going and see if we can find them. This concert is going to finish soon.’ He suggested buying time to try and formulate some logical thoughts.

‘Yeah OK.’ She agreed as they began walking again.

‘So, I’m guessing you are a Stevie Nicks fan instead of a Christine McVie fan?’ He asked her trying to distract her and keep her calm.

‘Um, both. I just love live music, it could have been almost anyone up there and I would have been happy. Music takes me away from all the shit in my world.’ He smiled, she sounded like Paul. She let go of his hand and bent down and picked up a long perfect black feather and she ran her finger along the length of it and placed in her hair. She walked on ahead and he stopped dead in his tracks, Dwayne’s words echoing in his head.

_‘You will fall in love with the girl with the feather in her hair.’_

You could have blown him over with a feather the way he felt right now. He continued to follow her and he thought about what would happen when Marko showed up, and Dwayne’s reaction to feather girl. Star, his Star. He felt like she was his already because she sure as shit wasn’t going back to her fucking father’s house. David placed his arm around her shoulders and carefully guided her towards the entrance where his boys were there waiting for him. As they approached, he saw the confused and slightly intrigued looks on their faces when their leader showed up with his arm around a girl.

‘Yeeaahh…’ Paul said to himself, pleased David had appeared with a pretty young thing. Dwayne stared at them both with his eyes dark until he noticed the feather sticking out of her bun and his eyes softened, it was almost undetectable but David caught it, and he said nothing.

‘Oh, I think you might have been with my friend tonight?’ Star said walking away from David and towards Marko. ‘Were you with a girl named Toni tonight? 5’6, shoulder length brown hair, brown eyes?’ Marko looked at the girl talking to him and quickly slid his eyes to David, who gave him a look, before answering her.

‘Ahhh, yeah, I was with her but she took off with some other people.’ She looked down for a minute then spun on her heel.

‘I gotta go, I have to find her…’ Star began to move but Marko continued.

‘Oh, she jumped in a car with them and took off.’ Then she turned and looked at him strangely.

‘She left with someone?’ She asked cautiously.

‘Yeah.’ Marko said watching her closely.

‘Right.’ She said slowly.

‘It’s OK, you can stay with us tonight.’ David told her and Paul’s eyebrows rose at the comment but she didn’t even turn to look at him.

‘No, wait, she left without finding me? Is that what you’re trying to tell me?’ She was challenging Marko’s story and David gave his brother a dark stare.

‘Sure.’ Marko said, staring at her and David watched as she met his stare.

‘It’s OK. I’ll take care of you tonight.’ David walked towards her and placed his arm around her again eliciting looks of disbelief from all of the boys. This was unheard of from David.

‘No, I can’t. She said quickly backing away. ‘Something is wrong and I have to find Tee. Besides, I can’t impose on you. I don’t even know you.’ He could see her fear rising and he looked over at his boys.

‘What are you doing?’ Marko projected into David’s head.

‘Boys, this is Star. Star this is Paul, Dwayne and Marko. There, you know us now.’ David calmly introduced them to her.

‘I can’t…’ She again tried to back out.

‘They are not going to hurt you, I won’t let them.’ He looked at her seriously,laying his influence upon her again.

‘What about you?’ She said tilting her head slightly.

‘I won’t hurt you. I will never let anything happen to you again.’ He said drawing her into his eyes as he spoke.

‘David, what the fuck are you doing? She’s barely 18!’ Paul mentally joined Marko and a comment like that coming from Paul made David take note.

‘She’s 16.’ David told them and both Marko and Paul just about choked. Dwayne sat still, not blinking and watched the interaction between the two of them remembering what he’d told David years ago. Was this her? Was this his feather girl? There was definitely something about her that had David acting well out of the ordinary but Dwayne needed to see more before he could be sure.

‘OK, if you sure.’ She said to him. ‘Thank you.’ He climbed on his bike and helped her on the back and as she wrapped her arms around his waist and in this one move, she’d sealed her fate and his excitement spiked.

‘Are you serious? Max is going to spin!’ Marko repeated his mental plea to his brother, feeling slightly disturbed and threatened by David’s intense interest in the girl. It was done and in his eyes, she was his. Screw what Max said, he wasn’t letting this one go. He gunned the engine and one by one they left for the Cave.


	2. The Concert - Star's POV

She waited anxiously down the road for Tee to pick her up. She’d been crying and Tee said she’d pick her up and they could go to the Fleetwood Mac concert together. Neither of them had tickets but this wouldn’t be the first time they’d jumped the fence at a gig. She didn’t really want to go out the way she was feeling but being around a lively audience and some live music was hopefully going to make her feel better. Tee arrived ten minutes later in a small green VW Beetle.

‘Hey girl, so what happened? Nick being a dick again?’ She climbed in and shut the door and Tee spluttered off down the road. ‘What’d he do? He’s such an ass.’ Tee said changing the radio station.

‘No, it wasn’t Nick.’ She said quietly, feeling sick even thinking about it.

‘Who was it? Have you got a fat lip?’ Tee looked at her properly for the first time. ‘Was it that douche bag friend of his? Drew?’

‘No.’ She said, wishing Tee would drop it.

‘Well, who was it?’ Tee asked.

‘It was my dad.’ She finally answered.

‘Oh.’ Tee said. Tee picked up on her reluctance to elaborate and she didn’t push her. She knew her dad and what a creep he was.

‘Tee, can I stay at your house tonight?’ She really wanted to stay forever after what her dad had done to her, she was never going home again if she could help it.

‘Sure you can. Are you gonna be alright?’ She smiled and nodded at her best friend as Tee pulled into the area behind the back of the venue. ‘Come on, these outdoor gigs are so easy. Let’s go have some fun.’ They jumped out of the car and made their way into the park, along with a group of other people, behind where the large stage stood waiting for the band to emerge. People were streaming in from a million different directions and Tee was in her element. Usually she would be too but she was struggling to shake off her funk and Tee knew it.

‘Come on.’ Tee said pulling her arm and skipping off towards some young boys having a session. ‘Hi boys, can we join you?’ She abruptly asked them. Tee had no shame and, as usual, the boys said yes. They smoked the joint and talked she could feel herself chilling out and beginning to enjoy herself, her cares of the previous night dissipating away. She was happy in the moment. They bounced around the place, laughing at stupid things and checking out all the boys. Tee was terrible, she was taken by everyone who walked past her which made her laugh. She, however, was more selective over who took her fancy. With a roar of the crowd, Fleetwood Mac took to the stage and Rhiannon began and they loved this song so made their way up closer to dance to Stevie Nicks’ haunting voice. The song ended and Go Your Own Way began.

‘I’m going to go get us some drinks!’ Tee said to her and told her to wait there for her. Tee was nearly 18 and had a fake ID, where as she was three weeks away from her 17th birthday and didn’t. Ten minutes passed and Tee suddenly appeared in front of her all excited.

‘Oh my God! I’m in love!’ Tee exclaimed clutching her shoulders.

‘Oh yeah, who is it this time?’ This wasn’t uncommon for Tee, she fell in love every week. ‘Where are our drinks?’

‘Oh, I didn’t even get that far!’ She said laughing. ‘Oh, girl he is so hot! He has long blonde hair with the brightest blue eyes and a baby face! I’m going to go hang out with him, will you be OK for a bit?’ This was also typical of Tee.

‘Yeah sure.’ She said smiling but inside being alone was the last thing she wanted to do. At least she had the music.

‘Oh, thank you! Have fun and I will meet you where we came in later. OK? I’ll be with Mr Hottie in the colourful jacket!’ Tee hugged her and skipped off excitedly and she found herself alone. The atmosphere here was cool and she was actually feeling OK absorbing the sounds and watching the people. She walked over to the side of the crowds and she quickly felt the heaviness of someone watching her. She looked sideways and straight into a pair of sky blue crystal orbs and she froze. It was the most intense instant connection she’d ever had. He was tall and all clad in black but with bleach blonde hair and those crazy eyes. He was hot, too hot for her in her self-conscious opinion but she gave him a small smile before looking down again. Wait, was he even looking at her in that way or was she reading way more into it than she should. Why would a man like him even notice a 16 year old like her? She’d been crying so she was sure she looked like shit and she wished she wasn’t wearing her long white skirt, it was just so plain. He wouldn’t want her, he’d probably looked at a million girls like that tonight and she was nothing special. She turned to look in his direction again to see if he was indeed staring at her and she was met with the same penetrating glare and it was directed straight at her. Oh my God, he was staring at her. He was dead still and she could see his eyes roam all over her body which made her blush. She felt nervous that he was studying her for her worthiness of his company and she was terrified he would find a fault and move on then she suddenly noticed two bodies moving quickly through the crowd behind the man in black and saw it was her brother Nick, and his friend Drew. She had to gap and knowing she had nothing to lose, she flashed the man a true smile and quickly walked away. She wished Tee was with her, she always knew how to put Nick the dick and douche bag Drew in their places. She moved quicker through the people really not wanting either of them to catch up with her but she felt a shove in her back and she was pushed towards the trees lining the park.

‘I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Get your ass home!’ Nick barked at her while Drew backed him. ‘Do you think I wanna be here collecting you? Dad is pissed and wants you home NOW!’

‘I don’t care. I am never going back there again.’ Like Hell was she returning to that house, especially if her dad was angry with her. He’d done what he’d done while supposedly happy, drunk but happy. Imagine what he’d do to her now.

‘If I go back there without you, he’ll kick my ass and I am not copping that for you, you selfish bitch!’ Drew laughed and she shot him a dirty look. Nick walked towards her and grabbed her upper arm and she pulled away from him telling him to let her go then suddenly he slapped her across the face hard and yanked her with him. Just as quickly there was someone pulling Nick off her and when she saw who had stepped in to help her, she was shocked. It was the man in black. The man pulled Nick off the ground by his jacket and pushed him over while Drew, as usual, did nothing.

‘You OK?’ The stranger asked her and she nodded at him, almost unable to speak. Who was this guy? Why was he doing this for her? Had he followed her? This was all turning a little surreal for her.

‘What the fuck?!’ Nick scrambled to his feet. ‘Fuck off, this doesn’t concern you!’

‘Ssshhh.’ The blonde said taking control of the altercation. ‘The girl said she didn’t want to go with you. She’s not going.’ He spoke so calmly that it was almost eerie, like he held a certain power or something but whatever it was, she was grateful for his assistance. She really didn’t want to go back home.

‘Fuck you! She’s 16 years old and her dad wants her home. You wanna fuck with someone, you fuck with him.’ Nick yelled at the stranger before him and she silently prayed he wouldn’t leave knowing how young she was.

‘Well, ‘Dad’ is going to have find us first.’ She looked at Nick and to her horror she saw him lunge at the man and try to hit him but in a lightning fast move, the man in black grabbed his fist and once again, Nick was on the ground.

‘Now it’s time for you to fuck off and leave the girl alone.’ The man’s tone had changed and it was notably more serious and both Nick and Drew suddenly looked afraid and began to back track.

‘It’s your ass you stupid bitch!’ Nick spat at her and she said nothing. ‘The slut is your problem now dickhead.’ He said turning around and striding off. The man in black came to her side and she felt a bit shocked over what had just transpired. This did not bode well for her living arrangements and she felt like her home situation had just gotten far worse, but regardless of anything, she was grateful for his help.

‘Thank you.’ She said to him.

‘You’re welcome.’ He said smiling at her. ‘Would you like to get a drink? I could use one.’ He said. She couldn’t believe he wanted to spend any more time with her after that, this man was more than she’d ever dreamed of, both in looks and demeanour and she couldn’t believe her luck right now. Her fantasy was standing in front of her and she couldn’t wait to tell Tee about this one.

‘Sure.’ She said and as they made their way through the sea of people, he grabbed her hand and her heart stopped with his touch. Was this real? His fingers felt so cold to her and she worried her hand felt all hot and sweaty. This guy made her nervous and excited all at the same time. He led her to the bar and then over to a small ledge in the park and she sat next to him for a while before speaking.

‘Why did you do that?’

‘Because your brother is an asshole, and you didn’t seem like you wanted to go with him.’ She looked down.

‘I didn’t.’ She said running her finger along the lip of her beer cup. She heard him pull out a cigarette and light it. ‘What’s your name?’ She asked him.

‘David.’ He answered.

‘My name is…’ She started but he stopped her.

‘Ssshhh. I don’t want to know what everyone else calls you, what your dad or your brother call you. You are too beautiful for that.’ He took a drag of his smoke and blew it out. ‘You are a diamond, only bigger and brighter. I’m going to call you Star.’ Did he seriously just say that? She felt like she was in a dream, this sort of stuff only happened in the movies, and never to her. Is that what he really thought about her? Was this guy a pimp? Did he want to trick her out or something? This just didn’t make sense to her. ‘Do you mind if I call you Star?’ He turned and gave her a look that just about made her fall off the ledge and suddenly she didn’t care what his motives might be. He could call her anything right now, and she’d be happy as long as he called her.

‘No, I like it.’ She said and smiled back at him, his eyes sparkling. She loved looking into his eyes, they were like insane pools of blue glass which sucked her in and held her to him. She watched as he slowly moved from sitting beside her to standing in front of her and her heart began to rock her rib cage it was beating so hard. He moved closer still and she felt like she couldn’t breathe and as he went to place his hand on her cheek, she involuntarily flinched, an automatic reaction to such a movement.

‘I’m not going to hurt you.’ He reassured her in his smooth deep voice and he moved his hand round the back of her neck and ran his fingers up and down the nape of her neck making her eyes close with the intimacy of his touch. Using his body, he pushed in between her legs and she felt numb, like she couldn’t move and she felt extremely vulnerable to his charms. She opened her eyes to find him almost nose to nose with her and again she felt herself drowning in his gaze. His fingers stroked the back of her neck again and she felt his lips press against hers. It was so gentle, not at all what she expected from such a domineering male and she held the back of his head and kissed him harder. Her mind was exploding that she was actually kissing this man, this hot amazing man and when she heard the crowd cheer she suddenly pulled away, not wanting to look too desperate or anything. She was hot and flushed from the kiss and she pulled two bobby pins from her small bag and twisted her hair into a loose bun to try and cool off and compose herself. This guy had a crazy effect on her.

‘I should really find my friend. I came here with her and she’s my ride home.’ She said, internally dreading leaving this God of a man.

‘Let’s go for a walk then.’ David said offering out his hand to her which she happily took. She would hold his hand and follow him through the fires of Hell if it meant she could stay with him. She’d never believed in love at first sight until tonight.

‘Star light, what happened to your lip?’ His voice broke through her thoughts and she wasn’t ready to answer his question. ‘Was it your brother?’ She felt her lip, surprised he’d noticed it. Maybe it was when they’d kissed. She had tried to hide it with make-up and thought she’d done a good job, but apparently not. ‘You can trust me.’ As he said those words, she felt like crying. She looked up at him not wanting to answer him, to pretend nothing had happened. She could lie but she thought, somehow, he would know.

‘No, it wasn’t my brother.’

‘What happened to you?’ She took a few more silent steps trying to think of what to say without sounding like a problem child. ‘Star?’ With that one word she had an overwhelming need to answer him, like she couldn’t keep anything from him and she had no choice. She turned to face him.

‘Um… It was my dad.’ She admitted embarrassingly, desperately trying not to cry.

‘Did he hit you?’ It was weird but she felt like he knew already and there was no point in not telling him.

‘Not exactly.’ She said, avoiding his eyes.

‘What did he do?’ David asked and she could feel him pulling her closer to him and tears began threatening to fall.

‘He um… He raped me.’ She whispered and he encased his protective arms around her. She couldn’t believe she was telling this to a complete stranger. How weak was she? ‘I shouldn’t even be telling you this.’ She pushed away from him feeling pathetic that she was telling someone she didn't even know this. 'It’s not your problem, I’m not your problem.’ She stammered. ‘I have to find Tee cause I have to stay at her place tonight.’ She wiped the moisture off her eyes, pulled herself together and they walked on towards the agreed meeting spot.

‘Where did she go?’

‘Ah, she found a specimen she liked and told me to meet her here later. I didn’t actually see him but she said he had on a colourful jacket, long blonde hair and the brightest blue eyes.’ She looked at her own suitor’s eyes and corrected herself. ‘Well, I don’t believe they are quite as surreal as yours but according to her they were.’ She said laughing. Scanning the crowd she couldn’t see either of them and she was sure the concert wasn’t too far away from ending. If she didn’t see Tee soon, she figured she’d just wait by her car for her to come back.

‘Let’s keep going and see if we can find them. This concert is going to finish soon.’ He said reading her mind.

‘Yeah OK.’ She agreed.

‘So, I’m guessing you are a Stevie Nicks fan instead of a Christine McVie fan?’ He asked her.

‘Um, both. I just love live music, it could have been almost anyone up there and I would have been happy. Music takes me away from all the shit in my world.’ And so does being here with you she thought. She spotted a feather lying on the ground and she picked it up. It was pure black with a tinge of iridescent green down the side when she touched it. She placed it in her hair and kept walking. Even outside of this concert, she was a true Gypsy at heart. Walking on, she couldn’t help but feel slightly worried about Tee. Tee could handle herself alright but the guy she took off with could have been anyone, some freak who killed people at concerts or some dude looking for a good time whether the girl wanted to or not and after what she had just been through, she really didn’t want that happening to her friend. Where the fuck was she? Tee was always one who left with the crew she came with. Star realised she was nearing the entrance of the park and she thought that was really clever of David to lead her here, everyone would be leaving soon and she could scan all the people leaving for her or the colourful jacket man. David placed his arm around her shoulders as they walked towards a couple of biker types and she felt safer as they were fairly intimidating guys.

‘Yeeaahh…’ She heard one of them say while looking at her and she thought that was pretty brazen of him considering who she was with. Two steps further and another man came into view and he was a long-haired blonde with a colourful jacket and she was sure it was him. How many long-haired dudes were here wearing a jacket like that? She broke away from David and moved towards the man who looked at her curiously.

‘Oh, I think you might have been with my friend tonight?’ Star said to the man. ‘Were you with a girl named Toni tonight? 5’6, shoulder length brown hair, brown eyes?’ He silently looked over at David and it clicked to her that they knew each other, they all knew each other. David was one of them. Why hadn’t he said anything when she had described the boy Tee said she was with? 

‘Ahhh, yeah, I was with her but she took off with some other people.’ Panic hit her like a bolt of lightning and she spun around and said she had to go find her. ‘Oh, she jumped in a car with them and took off.’ He said and she stopped and looked at him like he’d just spoken another language.

‘She left with someone?’ She asked him.

‘Yeah.’ Tee had left without her? And left her car here? Her prized possession she’d left outside a concert? She’d left her there knowing what had happened to her? No, something was wrong.

‘Right.’ She said trying to reconcile what this man was saying to her. She didn’t believe the scenario being put forward to her.

‘It’s OK, you can stay with us tonight.’ She heard David behind her.

‘No, wait, she left without finding me? Is that what you’re trying to tell me?’ She asked again, her gut telling her he was lying to her.

‘Sure.’ Marko said back casually, almost dismissing her question like he didn’t care. She wouldn’t take her eyes off the boy, trying to find some truth in what he was saying.

‘It’s OK. I’ll take care of you tonight.’ David repeated and she felt David’s his arm go back around her shoulders again only this time it felt heavy, like he was claiming control over her and she had no choice. She looked around at the others and their facials were all flat and her gut told her that something was definitely amiss.

‘No, I can’t. Something is wrong and I have to find Tee. Besides, I can’t impose on you. I don’t even know you.’ She pulled away from him and tried to talk her way out of something she’d thought she’d dreamed of but suddenly didn’t want anymore. She wished Tee was here, she was feeling pressured by the intensity of their collective stares but she quickly realised that unless she went back home to daddy, she really didn’t have a choice.

‘Boys, this is Star. Star this is Paul, Dwayne and Marko.’ He introduced the eclectic bunch to her and she actually had a chance to look at them properly. Dwayne looked the most daunting to her, he was a dark haired brooding man and easily the best looking of them. He gave her a rather stern look but it wasn’t threatening. He looked Native American and spiritual, like he knew more than what he was letting on. Paul and Marko looked a little lighter. Paul looked like a rockstar who had rock music running through his veins, whereas Marko looked her over carefully and she felt like she was being scrutinizing by the chrub faced boy. ‘There, you know us now.’ David turned to face her.

‘I can’t…’ She said again.

‘They are not going to hurt you, I won’t let them.’ She found herself looking into those blue diamonds again and she caught herself. They were dangerous and as she looked from one to the other she felt herself falling and unable to deny him what he wanted.

‘What about you?’ Even though he’d said he wouldn’t hurt her, she needed to hear it again.

‘I won’t hurt you. I will never let anything happen to you again.’

‘OK, if you sure. Thank you.’ She had no idea what she was actually doing but for some reason she was going with it, going with these boys to their house for a sleepover and the reality of that was surreal and crazy to her. The boys all mounted their bikes, roaring them to life, and David smiled at her holding out his hand to help her on his bike. She tentatively wrapped her arms around his waist but once he moved, she quickly tightened her grip on him. She’d never been on the back of a bike before and she had no idea what she was in for.


	3. The Cave - David's POV

Arriving at the spot where they hide their bikes for the day, David cut his engine and became aware of her slight trembling.

‘Where are we? I thought we were going to your place.’ He picked up on her discomfort instantly.

‘Get off.’ He said which she did, allowing him to push his bike off to the side. ‘This is just where we park our bikes. We have to go for a small bush walk before we reach our place.’ He turned seeing the worried look on her face.

‘Right.’ She said and he took her hand and stood close to her.

‘Trust me Star bright.’ She looked up at him like a small child would and he led her into the forest with him, his boys falling in line behind him.

‘Have you even fed yet?’ Paul projected into David’s head as they moved through the trees. ‘You’re just fucking with us and she’s going to be tonight’s meal right?’

‘Drop it Paul.’ David warned him and Paul looked back at the other two to see their reaction. He couldn’t be serious, David just didn’t do this, but here he was leading this girl, this very young girl, to their sleeping quarters. The only girls who ever made it into their home, never made it out again.

‘We’re nearly there.’ David encouraged her.

‘Good.’ She replied and he felt her fall behind him and he turned just in time to catch her. ‘Oww!’ She cried.

‘Are you alright?’ He asked genuinely concerned about her and, in that moment and witnessing this side of David for the first time, Dwayne knew the feather girl was special and David was dead serious about her.

‘Yeah, I just rolled my ankle I think. I’ll be fine.’ She said limping.

‘Paul.’ David said and Paul came in behind her and scooped her up in his arms carrying her the rest of the way.

‘Woah, I’m OK, really. You don’t have to.’ Both Paul and David ignored her protests and continued on out of the woods and onto the wooden staircase before descending down to the cave. David could smell her fear, Hell, they all could, she was terrified. The situation they had her in had her adrenalin skyrocketing. Walking into the cave, David told Paul to place her on the couch while he took his jackets off and Dwayne began to light the barrels. David stood back and watched her large eyes light up as the room was illuminated around her and he smiled. Again he saw her as a shining star in his dark cave and she looked so beautiful to him.

‘You like?’ He asked her, amused at her reaction when she looked at him and nodded.

‘Um… yeah. This place is amazing. What is it?’ She asked looking around and, as he told her about the earthquake, her face became shocked. Dwayne tried to remember if he’d ever seen David act in this manner the whole time he’d known him.

‘Is it safe in here?’ She asked and he walked towards her.

‘As long as you’re with me, you will always be safe Star.’ He laid his influence on her thick and then switched just as quick. ‘Are you hungry?’ She shook her head staring at him and he turned and sat in his wheelchair. Dwayne sat next to Marko and they both watched David fuss over the girl in amusement.

‘Drinks Marko.’ David said and he picked up on her interest in his boys and it bothered him, he wanted her all for himself and his desire to own her and control her weighed heavily on him. ‘Where are you from Star?’ He asked wanting her to talk to him and divulge more about herself. He wanted to know everything about her.

‘Originally, I’m from Chicago, but I live in San Francisco. Well, my dad does.’

‘Yes… Your dad.’ David said remembering what she’d told him. There was no way that fucker would be hurting her ever again, David would make sure of that. ‘Santa Carla is a nice place Star. You’ll like it here.’ He’d already decided she would come and live with him, maybe not straight away, he’d set her up in a motel and he’d keep an eye on her until she was 17 and then she would come to him. He watched as Paul sat next to her and placed her injured ankle on his knee and asked her how it was feeling. Paul was just being Paul and normally it wouldn’t bother him but with her, David felt flooded with jealousy over Paul’s close proximity to his girl. Paul pulled out one of his perfectly rolled smokes and lit it offering it to her and David was interested in her reaction and whether she would partake and to his delight, she did. That would make her integration into his group easier. The girl had balls being here with these guys, who all appeared quite a bit older than her, and be willing to get stoned but it wasn’t like he’d given her a choice. He wasn’t going to let her escape ever, he’d been waiting half a century for a connection like this.

‘Did you see Tee talking to the people before she left with them?’ She surprised both Marko and David with her question and Marko flicked a quick look to David before answering.

‘Yeah, it seemed like she knew them.’ She seemed to accept that and he turned and passed Dwayne the smoke.

‘Ahh, do you guys sleep here?’

‘Sure do girl but the couch is all yours tonight.’ Paul answered her and she smiled at him. He could make any girl feel comfortable and that’s just what David wanted right now, for her to feel comfortable around his boys. David felt content as everyone in the room began to relax and get high and laugh. They talked about everything; the concert - where Paul called Dwayne a slut, drugs, alcohol - where Star said she wasn’t much of a drinker and they laughed at her chugging back a beer, parties – where Paul called Dwayne a slut, girlfriends and boyfriends – David was interested in her answer to that one, food and then school – where Paul again called Dwayne a slut. They were all getting along great but David wasn’t doing much talking, he just sat there and listened and watched her interact with his boys. She was perfect to him and it was like she belonged there with them already. He looked over at his jewelled bottle, contemplating if he should, if it was the right time and if she could handle it.

'David, Max will lose his shit if you do.' Dwayne spoke in his head and David calmly looked at him, knowing what he said was the truth. He really didn't give a shit what Max thought but it confirmed for him it wasn't the right time yet, he would wait but it would happen. Star would be his for eternity. The boys began talking between themselves, banter to which she just lay there and listened to and David watched as her eyes closed and she began to fall asleep. David rose, knowing the sun was about two hours away and he told his boys he was going out for a bit and not to leave her alone. He shot out and flew down to a flower farm in the valley where he picked her a single white lily and brought it back without damaging it.

‘You romantic prick.’ Paul chided him and David just looked at him. The boys then took their cue and retreated to the back of the cave to sleep and David sat next to her and watched her sleep for a few minutes, when suddenly she jolted and opened her eyes. 

‘Go back to sleep, my Star.’ He said softly. ‘You are mine now and I will take care of you.’ He touched her cheek and pulled the feather out of her hair, then he stroked a stray piece of hair that had fallen in her face. He looked around realising he had nothing to cover her with so he went back to one of the sunken hotel rooms and found a musty old blanket for her and placed it over her. He would go out and get her a new one in the next few days. She was fast asleep and he could feel himself beginning to fade so he kissed her on her cheek, not wanting to leave her alone but knowing he had to, and he placed the flower he’d chosen for her, along with a small note on the table near her head and went to sleep.


	4. The Cave - Star's POV

Instead of riding to a house or an apartment, David and his boys pulled up in a secluded clearing in the bushes and she knew she’d made a grave mistake going with these boys.

‘Where are we? I thought we were going to your place.’ She asked, feeling very uncomfortable and David told her to get off and he dismounted after her, pushing his bike over towards the bushes.

‘This is just where we park our bikes. We have to go for a small bush walk before we reach our place.’ She looked at him suspiciously.

‘Right.’ She said looking around at the dark bushes then over to the other boys, who returned her look with blank expressions, confirming her initial thought that she shouldn’t go any further with them. This is what the stupid girls she read about in the paper did before their mutilated bodies were found.

‘Trust me, Star bright.’ He said taking her hand and pulling her with him as they entered the forest. It wasn’t as dark as she thought it would be and with the moonlight filtering through the leaves, she could see the pathway. David wasn’t going to let her leave and she couldn’t get anywhere anyways, they’d ridden about forty minutes down the coast and she figured she must have been close to Santa Carla. In a forest near Santa Carla. She was going to be in so much trouble when she got home but she began to wonder if this was even worth the punishment she was going to receive, the outcome of this night could possibly end up being worse. Nick would definitely have told her dad. Where was Tee? She wondered who she’d taken off with, if she’d even taken off with anyone. The validity of Marko’s story worried her, for all she knew he could have done something to her and he could have said anything to get her to go along with David. She hoped Tee wasn’t at her car waiting for her, oh it was too late now so she tried to stop thinking about it.

‘We’re nearly there.’ David broke the silence and she was relieved.

‘Good.’ She answered him just as her foot slid off a large tree root sending a searing pain through her ankle. ‘Oww!’ She cried stumbling forward into David.

‘Are you alright?’ He asked her.

‘Yeah, I just rolled my ankle I think. I’ll be fine.’ She lied, she wasn’t fine. She could barely stand on it and it really hurt.

‘Paul.’ She heard David say and suddenly she was being picked up and was cradled in Paul’s arms.

‘Woah, I’m OK, really. You don’t have to.’ She said trying to struggle out of his arms but his steel grip was like a vice and whatever she did made no difference. It was done and he just smiled at her and carried her the short way out of the forest which led out to the top of a large cliff. She looked around and still didn’t see any houses or anything and she was confused and her fear returned. Were they going to throw her off the cliff? She was carried up some stairs and back down a dangerous rocky path towards the mouth of a large cave. There were large signs posted but it was too dark for her to read them and she felt sick, she was right and she was sure they were going to kill her. What the fuck was she thinking going with these random guys? She could hardly breathe as Paul carried her into the pitch black cave.

‘Lay her on the couch.’ She heard David say and she was placed on a small couch. She couldn’t work out how he’d been able to see enough to place her on the couch without bumping into anything. And what was a couch doing in here anyways? Suddenly Dwayne lit a flame torch and began lighting large barrels around the hidden gem she found herself in. This place was amazing and nothing like what she was expecting, she’d never seen anything like it before. There was a large mahogany desk along one wall and a huge fountain in the centre of the room. Many of the furnishings were old and broken and she wondered what had happened here.

‘You like?’ David asked her and she looked at him like she’d forgotten he was there.

‘Um… yeah. This place is amazing. What is it?’ She asked looking around again. They had collected an interesting array of things along with what was already here, the most impressive being the floor to ceiling image of Jim Morrison. It was massive.

‘This was a very popular resort a long time ago and became a victim of the Andreas earthquake.’ He told her. ‘Now it’s ours.’

‘Is it safe in here?’ She asked nervously and he walked towards her.

‘As long as you’re with me, you will always be safe Star.’ He said seriously. ‘Are you hungry?’ He asked her and she shook her head, still contemplating his previous comment and feeling like he was expecting her to stay here with him. It was an odd feeling considering they’d just met and she was now feeling very much in over her head with this lot. She looked around at the other boys and saw Marko sitting on the edge of the centrepiece watching her, seemingly intrigued but wary with the newcomer. Dwayne sat next to him and was silently looking from David to Star and back again, carefully observing the interaction between the two of them. It was like she was an intruder in their world and they were perplexed at her existence. Paul on the other hand was totally at ease with her being there and was busy rolling what looked like joints, he’d put some music on which was making the lack of talking a little easier to handle.

‘Drinks Marko.’ David said and Marko rose and collected them all some bottles of beer. ‘Where are you from Star?’ David asked her, pulling her attention back to him. He was obviously the leader of this group and by the looks of it they all did as he said when he said it. She hoped he wasn’t going to expect that from her.

‘Originally, I’m from Chicago, but I live in San Francisco. Well, my dad does.’ She smiled ruefully.

‘Yes… Your dad.’ He said knowingly and she hoped he wouldn’t say anything else in front of the other boys. ‘Santa Carla is a nice place Star. You’ll like it here.’ He said to her and Paul brought over his handy work and sat next to her, lifting her leg and placing it on his lap.

‘How’s it feeling?’ He asked sparking one of the joints and passing another off to David.

‘Mmm, OK.’ She answered unconvincingly.

‘Well, this will make it feel much better.’ He said handing her the joint. She looked at it apprehensively, the last thing she needed to do was get smashed with these boys, she already had a beer in her hand and she wasn’t a drinker, but to keep the peace she took it. She inhaled a large toke before holding it out to Marko who glared at her for a moment then, pulling his look back, he took it.

‘Did you see Tee talking to the people before she left with them?’ She asked him.

‘Yeah, it seemed like she knew them.’ He said inhaling the smoke and passing it to Dwayne who chuckled as he ended up with two joints. There was something about Marko that she didn’t trust, something about his eyes and the way he looked at her which made her feel uncomfortable.

‘Ahh, do you guys sleep here?’ She asked, wisely changing the subject and being handed a joint. She inhaled more smoke and her head began to get hazy.

‘Sure do girl,’ Paul said happily ‘but the couch is all yours tonight.’ This couch wouldn’t be so bad tonight, at least they weren’t expecting her to sleep with any of them. She could feel herself melting into said couch and she made herself more comfortable and looked over at David. He was sitting in an old wheelchair, which she found bizarre but, then again, what wasn’t bizarre about tonight? The conversation began flowing easier the more stoned they all got and she discovered these boys were actually really easy going and not nearly as scary as they came across. They were friendly and funny, but she was smashed so she was finding everything anyone said funny. Even Dwayne was now talking but for whatever reason David didn’t. He just sat there with his beer and watched her, it felt like his eyes never left her and she smiled at him. The night went on and they began to speak of things which she had no idea about and she lay her head on the arm of the couch. She must have drifted off for a bit because when she opened her eyes again, she found the others had gone and she was alone with David.

‘Go back to sleep my Star.’ He said stroking her cheek. ‘You are mine now and I will take care of you.’ She fell back asleep, not really comprehending what he’d said.


	5. Cutting Ties - David's POV

David woke up before the others and his heart surged as soon as his eyes opened. His mind was spinning over what she was thinking of him and his world and if he or the boys had scared her. The whole Marko/Tee thing was going to be a difficult one once it came out but first he was going to deal with her father. He would take her back there, find out where he lived and lay eyes on the fucker, then take her back to the Cottage Inn and set her up there. Then he would return to finish him off and she would be his. He was so excited over her being here in his cave, he couldn’t sleep. He jumped down and walked out to the main cave to see her walking around looking at all their stuff and he leaned against the wall and watched her. She walked around studying their collection and he loved her intense concentration and genuine interest. For a 16 year old girl, she was more mature than most and, being a man, he thought she was so sexy and couldn’t help wondering how experienced she was but there was plenty of time for that, the rest of time in fact. She spun around to pick up her flower and she noticed him.

‘Hi.’ She smiled at him.

‘Hello Star.’ He approached her and, restraining his urge to ravish her, he placed a gentle kiss on her sweet mouth. ‘Are you OK?’

‘Yeah, my ankle is feeling a bit better. Thank you for my flower. It’s beautiful.’ She said going red and the more he held her gaze, the deeper shade of red she got. He found it endearing and enjoyed the effect he was having on her.

‘Only the best for my girl.’ It was a statement he firmly believed in. He wanted to give her everything and would do anything for her.

‘David, I have to go home.’ He saw her face drop at the thought of it and he steeled himself to go there and see the man who hurt her.

‘I will take you there to collect your things but you’re not going back to stay there. I will not allow you to live with a man who has done that to you.’ There was no fucking way she would go back there and stay, but this was his chance to find out where he was and what he looked like.

‘I have nowhere to go. I have to go back, I have to go to school.’ School? She wasn’t going back to school, she wasn’t going anywhere without him again.

‘Star, forget about school, you can come stay in a motel near here so I can see you.’

‘I have no money, I can’t.’ She began to get upset and he realised he was going to have to take control of this, he hated girls crying. It annoyed him.

‘You don’t need money. I told you, you are my girl and my boys and I will take care of you.’ He took her in his arms.

‘You can’t… David, you don’t even know me.’

‘I know all I need to know. It’s done Star, all you need to do is get your stuff and I will take care of the rest.’ David looked up at the boys coming out of the back and his expression said it all. Paul and Dwayne looked at each other, David never put up with anyone let alone some crying girl. Marko was taken a back, he was not happy about what was happening here. Overnight his leader, his David, had gone from an unemotional hard ass to comforting a crying bitch and going to flower farms and he didn’t get it. Who was she and why was she manipulating him? More so, why was David allowing it? Why were any of them putting up with her shit?

‘Star and I are going to pick up some of her stuff. We’ll meet you down the Boardwalk later.’ He shot them all a look, knowing exactly how they were all feeling and mentally told them all to get over it. ‘Shall we?’ He escorted her out of the cave and they climbed the rocks up to the staircase in silence until they passed the danger signs.

‘Are you ever afraid that the rocks will collapse and trap you in there?’

‘No.’ He didn’t feel the need to tell her that he was more dangerous than the rocks would ever be. ‘Is your ankle alright for the bushwalk?’ He asked but instantly decided that she would wait here and he’d go get his bike. It would be far quicker that way and the sooner he got rid of her father and got back to Santa Carla the better. ‘Stay here. I’ll go get my bike and come pick you up.’ He said and he strode off into the woods and, within minutes, he was on his bike and heading back up towards Hudson’s. He told her to get on and she did, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. The ride up the coast was fast and once they’d hit San Francisco, he asked her where to go and she said Hunter’s Point. He knew Hunter’s Point and, knowing that that was one of the roughest parts of San Francisco, he didn’t even want her going back there for her stuff. She directed him down Revere St and he pulled up outside a small 1930’s bungalow that hadn’t been maintained. David was pretty sure Paul had scored drugs from somewhere around here before. He felt her hesitation in getting off his bike and she waited for him to dismount.

‘Come on. He’s not going to hurt you with me here.’ He took her hand and they walked up to the front door. She opened the door and David stood outside.

‘Come inside.’ She told him and he stepped inside.

‘Nick? Is that you?’ David heard him call out and saw her reaction to his voice. David just wanted to storm in there and rip his lungs out but he stood with her.

‘No dad, it’s me.’

‘Get in here you little bitch! Where the fuck have you been?! Nick tells you to get home, you get home! Where have you…Who the fuck are you?’ Seeing David, the man’s face dropped. He was a fifty year old with large arms and shoulders and a thick chest. He looked like he was once fit but to David, he was a walking corpse and Star introduced him as her friend and the word annoyed David. Her father gave him a filthy look and David returned it with a stone cold expression.

‘Your friend isn’t welcome here.’ He said to her then he looked at David. ‘Get out. I need to talk to my daughter alone.’ He felt her hand squeeze his and his anger surged.

‘I’m not going anywhere.’ He said in his smooth deep voice, his attitude cool. ‘She’s here to get her things and she’s leaving with me.’

‘Like hell she is. Get the fuck out of my house.’ David was pleased, he’d pushed his buttons. He wanted to bait this fucker until he snapped.

‘Go and get what you want.’ He told her staring directly at the man.

‘Who the fuck do you think you are?’ Her father pushed David but he didn’t move, he just glared at him, a smirk forming on his lips. ‘She’s my daughter and she’s not going anywhere!’

‘Go Star.’ David told her. He knew he had the upper hand here and he just wanted Star to get what she wanted and get out so he could do what he really wanted to.

‘Don’t you fucking dare!’ The old man yelled at her. ‘And her name isn’t Star, she’s lying to you already.’ The man mocked David.

‘She’s coming with me. I know what you’ve done, you piece of shit.’ To David’s dismay the man smiled at him.

‘She loved it.’ He pushed. ‘She’s mine and I can do whatever the fuck I want with her.’ It took almost everything David had not to rip the sick fucks head off there and then.

‘You will never be alone with her again.’ David said in his calm controlled tone, his face changing and the demon within him glinting through the normal façade he wore and the man backed off.

‘Well if she’s yours now and is leaving with you, then nothing of hers is leaving this house. You wanna babysit her, then you pay for her. She’s nothing but a slut anyways. I’m done with her.’ David heard Star break and he was ready to do the same. ‘You leave this house, you selfish bitch, you leave empty handed. I’ll burn it all. All your mother’s precious shit gone.’ David looked at her and she took off out of the house. David was going to finish him right then but he stopped, he needed to come back and slaughter this one while she wasn’t outside. He wanted his boys here to help him really fuck with this guy’s head before he died so David left, making him think he’d won and went down to see if Star was OK.

‘Fuck him. I will come back with my boys and get your stuff later.’ He held her for a moment then slowly walked her back to his bike. He’d take her back to Santa Carla, put her up in a motel and get her sorted before coming back up here and finishing the fucker. She was his now for good and that knowledge had him excited for the first time in years.

He rode down to the Cottage Inn just down from the Boardwalk and parked outside the reception. ‘Stay here, I’ll get you a room.’ He said walking in to speak to the receptionist. ‘I need a room for a couple of weeks.’ He said, leaning over the counter, penetrating her with his gaze. She was a middle aged lady but his influence worked just as well as if she was young. He often thought it worked better on the older ones. ‘You think you can do me a special deal?’ David walked around behind the counter and stood close to the woman and placed his hand on her cheek. She went to answer him and she began to stumble on her words.

‘I um… I think ahh… We can do… We can um… Here’s a key and I will ahh… You can have the room and I will bill you later.’ She finally said, confused at her own words and flushed at the man’s closeness to her

‘Thank you.’ He said smiling then he turned and walked out. Leading Star over to the cabin, he opened the door for her and ushered her in. She thanked him and he picked up on her despondence and decided he was going to go pick her up some new clothes and take her out for a meal. She needed to know he’d look after her and that her comfort was important to him.

‘Star, you’re my girl and I will do anything for my girl.’ He would say it a million times until she accepted that she now belonged to him. ‘I want you to stay here, have a shower, calm down and relax. I am going to go get you some new clothes and then we will go get you something to eat.’

‘Thank you.’ She said again, a small smile on her lips.

‘Are you going to be alright?’ He asked her and she nodded. ‘Don’t go anywhere and I’ll be back in a couple of hours.’

David left and went down to the Boardwalk, he didn’t know what to get a girl to wear but he did know what he’d like to see her in so he searched that out. Walking down past the arcade, he became aware of Max leaning against the wall, like he was waiting for him. David approached and Max just watched him until he’d just about passed him then Max spoke.

‘Where have you been?’ Max asked and David stopped.

‘San Francisco.’ He said over his shoulder.

‘What were you doing up there?’

‘Reconnaissance. We’re going back there tonight to take care of something.’ There was no use in lying or keeping anything from Max.

‘Where are the others?’

‘They’re here.’ David answered bluntly. He hated answering to Max.

‘But you’re here alone? What are you doing David?’ Max pressed.

‘Looking for something.’ David said and Max stared at him briefly. He seemed to accept that and moved on. David was glad, he wasn’t ready to broach Max with Star just yet.

‘Have you done it?’ Max asked, referring to a task Max had given David to do. Max was constantly testing David and the boys and getting them to perform jobs for him.

‘Yes.’ And with that, Max nodded.

‘Good.’ He said and walked away. David hated doing Max’s bidding but knew it was where he stood in the pecking order, although he now longed for some autonomy away from Max and was starting to make decisions on his own. He was slowly making the boys his and not Max’s. David continued up the Boardwalk and came across one of the cheap clothing stores that had popped up. He found a long glittery skirt and a white singlet with buttons down the front, he contemplated getting her a jacket too but he wanted to get back to her before the food outlets closed. He would get her a jacket later, she’d need one riding around with him all the time. He did, however, stop to get her a gift. A token of his affection and a symbol of his connection to her, his ownership of her. He walked past the jewellers and almost instantly he saw the perfect item for her, it was a small white and yellow gold filigree heart which looked vintage and suited both him and her. He took off back to the Inn and, walking straight in the room, he found her sitting on the bed in nothing but a towel and his knees nearly buckled. 

‘I see you’ve made yourself comfortable.’ He teased her and once again, she blushed. ‘I have a skirt and a top for you.’ He placed the clothing on the bed beside her.

‘Thank you.’ She smiled at him and disappeared into the bathroom to get changed. Emerging from the room, she looked stunning. The skirt hung beautifully on her hips and the white top fit like it was made for her. He wanted to go to her and touch her and slowly unbutton that top and to take her. He would, one day… not yet, but soon. He adjusted himself, hoping she hadn’t seen his hard on and he told her it was time to go get something to eat and led her outside.

The boys were waiting for them near the entrance and Paul leaned forward and kissed her cheek asking her how her ankle was. Paul’s gesture annoyed him, it annoyed him last night and it annoyed him even more now. He didn’t want anyone touching his girl, even if it was just one of his boys and he found his possessiveness was at an all-time high. She decided on Mexican food so he took her down towards the water to the only Spanish outlet on the Pier and they sat together and ate. The boys, once again, made her feel welcome and the time spent was easy then David sat back and had a post meal cigarette with Dwayne and watched her drift off into her own thoughts. He wanted to know her thoughts, her inner most feelings he wanted to be privy to and there was only one way for that to happen for him. He wanted to turn her, but not with Max’s blood or knowledge, he would do it on his own, with his blood. He wanted to be a part of her and have her be a part of him.

‘Do you know what you’re doing?’ Dwayne asked him, reading his mind, mildly concerned about the implications this would cause with Max. David inhaled his smoke and contemplated Dwayne’s question.

‘Nope. But I’m doing it anyways.’ He said flicking his butt away and walking towards her, pulling her away from the boys.

‘Star, I’m going to take you back to the motel and then I have to go and do something with them.’

‘You go, I will be fine. I’ll walk back to the motel.’ The thought of her walking around here on her own had his stomach doing somersaults, like hell would his girl be walking the streets alone.

‘You’re not walking around here on your own. I will take you back.’ He said a little more forceful than he’d intended. He told the boys he’d return, he didn’t want them knowing where she was staying either, especially Paul. If David had his way, she’d be living with him now but she wasn’t ready yet. She went with him back to his bike and rode with him to the motel.

‘I’m going to go down to the Boardwalk tomorrow morning and I’m going to try and find a job so you don’t have to keep paying for everything.’ She said reaching the door. No way, he almost panicked with the idea of her out during the day without him. ‘I can meet you down there tomorrow?’

‘No, you don’t need a job. I will be here at 8:30pm to pick you up. Don’t leave here until I get here.’ He told her, making it clear that there was no choice for her but to obey his request. He thought of the necklace he had brought for her and his anxiety subsided. ‘I have a gift for you.’ He said holding the necklace out to her. After a brief pause, her disturbed look turned to one of quiet excitement and she placed her arms around his neck and kissed him. He then he placed the chain around her neck. ‘Don’t go anywhere. I will pick you up.’ He kissed her smiling face and left.

0o0

‘We’re going up to San Francisco. I need your help to finish off something up there.’ David told the boys when he got back.

‘What?’ Marko asked him with a concerned interest evident in his voice.

‘Come on, you’ll see when we get there.’ David revved up his bike and took off. Paul jumped on his bike excitedly and roared off after him, he was always ready for a rumble. Marko got on his bike and looked at Dwayne.

‘Don’t worry about it dude.’ Dwayne said before pulling away and Marko followed.

0o0

David led them to Star’s father’s street and cut his engine just around from the house.

‘What are we doing in this shit hole?’ Marko asked, still sitting on his bike.

‘Time to fuck someone up.’ David said with a satisfactory smile on his face. ‘This is Star’s house.’ He got off his bike and began walking up the path.

‘What are we doing here?’ Paul asked.

'David, you can’t just take her family away from her.’ Dwayne said and David turned to his brother with a terse look upon his face. He was getting sick of the judgement coming from his boys about Star and it was time they were put in their place.

‘Do we have a problem here? Do any of you want to challenge me for my position here?’ He looked at them all. ‘I will do whatever the fuck I want, and if I want to take out my girlfriend’s asshole father, I fucking will.’ David’s face screwed up as he spoke. ‘Get inside. Now!’ He demanded. The boys hadn’t heard him call anyone his girlfriend and they shut up and followed him. David strode up to the house and ripped the door open, breaking the hinges.

‘What the fuck?!’ He father screamed and charged out of the living room only to be met with David storming into the same room, making the old man back up. ‘What are you doing back?’ The old man was confused. ‘I kicked the bitch out, she’s your problem now.’

‘I’ve come for her stuff.’ David said.

‘Get the fuck out of here.’ The man dismissed him and turned to sit down again.

‘Dad, who are these guys?’ Nick called out down the hallway, and then he caught sight of David. ‘You’re the fucker from the concert. What do you want, dick?’ With that comment, Paul shot down the hallway, grabbed the boy and slammed him against the wall, holding him there. Star’s father then noticed the others in his hallway and his face dropped.

‘Let my son go. What do you guys want?’ He was getting angry. ‘She’s not fucking worth it. The only thing that girl is worth is a fuck. You’ll see. If I had the chance, I’d do it again.’ The man was provoking David but he didn’t realise how big of a mistake he was making in doing so. David looked towards his boys and, hearing the man’s comment, the boys suddenly clicked as to why David was here and doing this. David turned to face the man and smiled, his canines visible. ‘What the fuck are you?’ The man asked, confused and thinking David was fucking with him then suddenly the confrontation became all too real for the old man.

‘I’m your worst fucking nightmare.’ David smiled and he walked towards him.

‘No, wait, I won’t do anything. You can have her shit, just get out.’

‘Oh, it’s too late for that, asshole.’ David said launching forward biting his Adam’s apple out of his throat and then he stood back to watch him begin to drown in his own blood. David laughed at his shocked expression and licked the blood from around his mouth. The man spat and spluttered and choked and convulsed for the next few minutes then he finally expired on the floor. Nick was screaming at the sight of his father being attacked and Paul effectively shut him up by joyfully tearing his face off.

Dwayne had gone down to her old room and collected up a bag of her clothing, some jewellery and a few other items he’d found in her room and came out to see the bloody mess in the house. Being in Hunter’s Point though, they could get away with leaving the house as it was. The place was full of shit heads who would perform such a violent act. It was a perfect place for them to hunt but David wasn’t a fan of San Francisco, the hippy era had really put him off the place and he’d never shown any interest in it since. The night was running long and the boys knew they had to get going to avoid the sun so they left. None of them had eaten properly so they went down to the waterfront and found a group of junkies and attacked, David being particularly brutal and, much to Paul’s delight, the men were flying high on heroin. The drug had made the other boys very messy on their ride back down the coast and when they reached the cave the boys stumbled their way down the staircase. Upon entering, Dwayne sat and began drawing some really fucked up shit while Paul was mumbling some incoherent slurred something and Marko had stumbled straight out the back and passed out on one of the old hotel beds. As soon as David knew it was heroin, he’d pulled back, he hated the stuff and had taken it easy when feeding not being keen to get fucked up on it. David wanted to go and see her, he knew it wasn’t an option this close to sunrise but it didn’t stop his desire to do so. He sat in his chair and began thinking of what Star would need in the cave as he knew he wasn’t going to be content without her here for long. It had only been a few hours and he felt like he was going crazy. He would pull out an old bed and place it in the corner with some new bedding. He couldn’t wait for the sun to be gone and it hadn’t even risen yet, he’d never been so desperate for the next night to arrive.

‘You’re in love aren’t ya?’ Paul announced, suddenly becoming lucid before he began singing, making Dwayne laugh. ‘I think Chuck E.’s in love, Chuck E’s in love…’

‘Shut up Paul.’ David looked over at Paul, reluctantly smiling.

Dwayne helped Paul up and they all took off back to their sleeping cave for the day.


	6. Cutting Ties - Star's POV

Star woke up under an old vintage blanket, which would have been quite beautiful if it hadn’t yellowed and didn’t smell funny. She looked around for any of the boys and she didn’t see any of them but she did see a perfect long stemmed white lily laying on the table. She was sure that it wasn’t there last night and she picked up a small piece of paper next to it and written on it were the words;

_‘For you my Star. D’_

David had left her a flower and his gesture made her smile and she had butterflies in her stomach. These boys weren’t so bad after all, they’d all been nice to her, looked after her with her ankle, they’d been courteous with her and none of them had tried to touch her or hurt her. They’d all, in fact, been perfect gentlemen. She rotated her ankle and found it wasn’t as sore as it was last night and she sat up. She thought about her dad and that he’d probably thought she’d stayed at Tee’s house, then she thought of Tee. She needed to go see if she was home yet, then she wondered what time it was because she felt like she’d been there for hours. She got up and tried to have a look outside and she couldn’t see much but it looked like it was late afternoon or early evening, judging by the shadows. She had been there for hours, she’d basically slept all day and she had to go. A prism caught her eye and she began to look around the room again, still blown away by the magnificence of the cave, only now she could actually take the time to look around properly when she had enough natural light to see. There was a skateboard up against the wall under the Doors poster, a collection of drawings on the floor near a chair in the corner, a pile of tapes and CD’s next to the boom box and a range of different bottles in the corner behind David’s wheelchair. There was stuff everywhere, it looked like stuff they’d acquired from all over the place, from beaches, concerts, parties, maybe other people’s houses… There was also what looked like an old elevator shaft in ruins and a number of caverns or rooms leading off from the main cave she was in which is where she imagined the boys had slept. She hoped they hadn’t left her there and disappeared, but then dismissed that thought because they wouldn’t leave her here alone with all their stuff. She’d never met anyone remotely like these guys before. No one had ever stood up for her or shown such an interest in her or given her a new name like David did, the new name thing was still strange to her. He was definitely an original, to the point of being utterly unique. And those eyes, those incredible, hypnotic eyes that made her feel like he was staring directly into her soul, she could look into them forever. She smiled remembering the kiss they’d shared and she felt like she’d found the man she’d been waiting for her whole life. As much as she wanted to stay in this fantasy world outside of her own, reality was pulling her out of her dream and she began thinking of how she was going to get home. She dreaded to think of the reception she was going to get from her ‘family’ and the thought was ruining her piece of mind. She turned to pick up her flower and found David leaning against the wall watching her.

‘Hi.’ She said feeling shy and almost like he’d caught her doing something she shouldn’t.

‘Hello Star.’ He walked towards her, cupped her face and kissed her lightly on her lips making her stomach flutter. ‘Are you OK?’

‘Yeah, my ankle is feeling better.’ She said. ‘Thank you for my flower.’ She said, blushing, holding the bloom. ‘It’s beautiful.’

‘Only the best for my girl.’ He said and she smiled.

‘David, I have to go home.’ She said looking down, her smile falling.

‘I will take you there to collect your things but you’re not going back to stay there. I will not allow you to live with a man who has done that to you.’ He said with an authoritarian tone and she looked into those blue eyes and tried to find some understanding of what exactly he was saying.

‘I have nowhere to go. I have to go back, I have to go to school.’ She said.

‘Star, forget about school, you can come stay in a motel near here so I can see you.’

I have no money, I can’t.’ Her voice wobbled and she began to get upset.

‘You don’t need money. I told you, you are my girl and my boys and I will take care of you.’ He hugged her and tried to calm her down.

‘You can’t… David, you don’t even know me.’

‘I know all I need to know. It’s done Star. All you need to do is get your stuff and I will take care of the rest.’ He said as the other boys began to appear out of the back of the cave. The thought of going back in the company of David made her feel better but the thought of living off him and being a burden to him made her feel worse. This guy was insane, why would he want to do this for her? Maybe he was a pimp, he’d given her a new name and wanted to set her up in a motel. He probably had girls set up all over this tiny town and had them working for him. She couldn’t understand his intense interest in her 16-year-old self and what she had to offer a man like him. He looked like he could have anyone in the world, they all did, and she was just a simple teenager. She needed to talk to Tee and get her take on it all, and find out where she’d got to last night.

‘Star and I are going to pick up some of her stuff. We’ll meet you down the Boardwalk later.’ David told the boys, placing his hand on her lower back. ‘Shall we?’ She looked up at him and again he’d made the decision for her. She walked out ahead of him and began to climb the rocky pathway out of there. She was perplexed at how he seemed to be making major decisions and taking over her life after mere hours of knowing her. It was odd that he even wanted to.

‘Are you ever afraid that the rocks will collapse and trap you in there?’ She asked walking past the large danger signs which she could now read in the fading light.

‘No.’ David said simply and continued walking up to the ridge. ‘Is your ankle alright for the bushwalk?’ He asked. The thought of rolling her ankle again in the darkness didn’t appease her and before she’d answered, he spoke deciding for her again. ‘Stay here. I’ll go get my bike and come pick you up.’ It was like he’d read her mind and he disappeared into the forest and she stood there alone on the cliff and looked out to sea at the light house spinning its light around. She had a feeling her life was about to change in ways she couldn’t even comprehend and she prayed it was going to be for the better and not the worse and that she wasn’t going from one domineering man to another. But at least this one was hot and had promised to never hurt her. Before long she heard the deep hum of a motorbike engine and he came up along the ridge pulling up next to her.

‘Hop on.’ He said to her which she did and happily hugged him tight. If he was willing to help her, who was she to look a gift horse in the mouth? He took off north only this time she enjoyed the ride and didn’t feel nervous of the rider.

Arriving in southern San Francisco, they rode up the 101 north towards Hunter’s Point and she was shortly jolted back to reality when she found herself looking at her shabby house. She was embarrassed he saw where she lived but then again, he lived in a cave so she dropped her emotion of shame and it was quickly replaced with fear. She reluctantly got off his bike and stood there while he dismounted.

‘Come on. He’s not going to hurt you with me here.’ He said taking her hand. They walked up the small path together and she opened the front door, gingerly stepping inside.

‘Come inside.’ She said to David and he followed her.

‘Nick? Is that you?’ Her dad called out and her heart sank.

‘No dad, it’s me.’ She said cringing.

‘Get in here you little bitch!’ She walked towards the living room. ‘Where the fuck have you been?! Nick tells you to get home, you get home! Where have you…’ He stopped as David walked in after her. ‘Who the fuck are you?’

‘This is my friend.’ She said and watched as her dad looked him over, with a disgusted look on his face.

‘Your friend isn’t welcome here. Get out.’ He said to David. ‘I need to talk to my daughter alone.’ She gripped his hand tighter and prayed he wouldn’t leave.

‘I’m not going anywhere. She’s here to get her stuff and she’s leaving with me.’ David said calmly.

‘Like hell she is. Get the fuck out of my house.’ Her dad stood up and prepared to face David. He was an ex boxer and still held a lot of strength and still maintained a boxers ego.

‘Go and get what you want.’ David told her and let her hand go.

‘Who the fuck do you think you are.’ Her father pushed David and she stood there terrified. ‘She’s my daughter and she’s not going anywhere.’

‘Go Star.’ David ordered while he held his ground and eyeballed the old man. She went to go down the hall but stopped at the sound of her father’s voice.

‘Don’t you fucking dare!’ Her father warned her and she didn’t know what to do. ‘And her name isn’t Star, she’s lying to you already.’ Her father laughed.

‘She’s coming with me. I know what you’ve done, you piece of shit.’ Her father smiled.

‘She loved it. She’s mine and I can do whatever the fuck I want with her.’ He said arrogantly and Star closed her eyes, feeling sick.

‘You will never be alone with her again.’ David told him, his tone changing, which made her father step back in the same way her brother had last night.

‘Well if she’s yours and is leaving with you, then nothing of hers is leaving this house. You wanna babysit her then you pay for her. She’s nothing but a slut anyways. I’m done with her.’ He said and she began to cry. ‘You leave this house, you selfish bitch, you leave empty handed. I’ll burn it all.’ She looked at her father, not wanting to abandon all of her stuff but knowing what would happen should she stay. ‘All your mother’s precious shit gone.’ He threatened her and she looked at David before bolting out of the house and running down the street. She stopped at the corner, sobbing and hoped David wouldn’t come out too soon and see her like this. He came out shortly after and came and hugged her.

‘Fuck him. I will come back with my boys and get your stuff later.’ She was numb, she really was out on the street now, whether she wanted to be or not. She needed to go see Tee but she couldn’t ask David to drive her out to her friend’s house while he waited for her. She could hardly speak in the state she was in. Once they were back in Santa Carla, she would find a phone and call Tee. David walked her back to his bike and told her to get on which she did without speaking and they travelled back down the coast. They rode to a small motel just off the Boardwalk and he told her to wait by his bike while he went in and got her a room. He came out ten minutes later and walked with her to one of the cabins and walking inside, she stood feeling uncomfortable and awkward.

‘Thank you.’ She said looking at him feeling very flat.

‘Star, you’re my girl and I will do anything for my girl.’ He said stroking her hair. ‘I want you to stay here, have a shower, calm down and relax. I am going to go get you some new clothes and then we will go get you something to eat.’ She went to protest again, but stopped herself and just said thank you again. A shower would definitely make her feel better but so would having some of her stuff, she had so little of her mother left, it would break her heart to lose it. 

‘Are you going to be alright?’ David asked her and she nodded weakly. ‘Don’t go anywhere and I’ll be back in a couple of hours.’ He swiftly kissed her on the lips and left. She was right and a shower did make her feel better and she came out and sat on the bed wrapped in a towel and laid her head back against the wall. The bed side clock said 11:15pm and she wondered how far away David was. He seemed to keep interesting hours and she wondered what he did for work. Her stomach growled and she hoped he wouldn’t be too long, she was hungry. She’d have to go find a job soon though, she couldn’t have him pay for everything. She’d look for a job tomorrow, maybe on this boardwalk he spoke of. Half an hour later David came through the door and she instantly felt self-conscious being found in nothing but a towel but he didn’t seem to mind in fact, he seemed to enjoy it..

‘I see you’ve made yourself comfortable.’ He raised his eyebrows at her smiling. ‘I have a skirt and a top for you.’ He gently laid them on the bed next to her and she again thanked him and went into the bathroom to get changed. He’d bought her a stunning sparkly long purple skirt and a white button up singlet and they fit perfectly. Maybe being his girl wouldn’t be so bad, he made her feel beautiful and confident and as she came out of the small room, she could tell just by the look on his face, he also approved. ‘Come on. Let’s get you something to eat.’ He said heading outside. They went down to the Boardwalk and it was better than she imagined. There was so much going on there that she couldn’t wait to go there during the day and explore all the shops, there was surely a job available for her here. They met up with his boys and went to a small authentic taco stand with some outside tables. The boys seemed happy to see her and were again very nice to her. Paul walked up and kissed her on the cheek upon seeing her again but she could see this bothered David.

‘How’s your ankle? Need me to carry you around again?’ He joked and she smiled back at him. Dwayne was again very quiet and Marko again gave her strange looks but she didn’t pay them too much attention after what had already happened. This was the craziest week of her life, aside from the week her mom died.

‘Star, I’m going to take you back to the motel and then I have to go and do something with them.’ He said after their meal.

‘You go, I will be fine. I’ll walk back to the motel.’ She insisted, not wanting to put him out any more than she had already.

‘You will not walk around here on your own. I will take you back.’ He repeated and something in his tone told her to not fight him on it. He drove her back there and walked her to the door.

‘I’m going to go down to the Boardwalk tomorrow morning and try and find a job so you don’t have to keep paying for everything.’ She said to him. ‘I can meet you down there tomorrow?’

‘No, you don’t need a job. I will be here at 8:30pm to pick you up. Don’t leave here until I get here.’ The way he said it, it was a directive and she stood there not sure how to take it. Did he really expect her to stay here all day? ‘I have a gift for you.’ His face softened as he spoke then he pulled out a small yellow and white gold filigree heart pendant on a gold chain from his jacket. She was pleasantly surprised and kissed him to thank him and he placed it around her neck. ‘Don’t go anywhere. I will pick you up.’ He repeated and kissed her again and he left. She held the pendant he’d given her in her fingers and her heart surged. He really was amazing and she was sure she’d found her dream man. She couldn’t believe it, he’d saved her from her dad, set her up in a nice place, given her clothes and gifts and fed her. It was all perfect.

Now she was just waiting for the catch.


	7. Seen - David's POV

He’d woken late, they all had thanks to the fucking heroin blood. That’d be the last time he’d believe Paul and his ‘it’ll be alright’ bullshit and he was grumpy as they left the cave and rode down towards the Boardwalk. The sky was absent of a moon and the lights of Santa Carla blanketed the small town as the boys veered off to the Boardwalk carpark while David headed up to pick her up. He got off his bike and went to walk inside the room but found the door locked, he knocked but there was no answer and his stomach tightened. Where the fuck was she? He checked his watch and it was 8:45pm, she should be here. He got back on his bike and sat there for a minute, trying to calm himself, he was pissed already and now she was making him wait. He didn’t want her staying here anymore, he wanted her with him so he knew exactly where she was at all times. The longer he sat there, the more he began to think that he wanted to change her, to make her his more permanently and then he thought of Max and the prospect of telling him about her. He looked over and saw her walking towards him and he leaned on his handle bars and watched her approach.

‘Where have you been?’ He spat and she slowed, her face going from a small smile to a shade of fear.

‘I went to try phone Tee and I lost track of time on the Boardwalk.’ She said quickly.

‘What did I tell you? I told you to stay here and I would pick you up.’ He said, not caring about what she had wanted to do. He wanted her to do as he said and he was feeling the need to instil a healthy amount of fear into her to ensure he got what he wanted.

‘I’m sorry, I couldn’t sleep and I just wanted to…’ Again, he didn’t want to hear it and he raised his hand to silence her.

‘Star, when I tell you to be somewhere, you be there.’ He got off his bike and walked towards her and he saw her micro flinch at his action. He’d scared her. He held her face and spoke to her calmly. ‘I will not have anything else to happen to you. Please do as I ask.’ He turned and got back on his bike. ‘Get on.’ He said and she quietly did as he asked without saying anything. He rode to the place he went when he needed to be alone. He’d never taken anyone here, except Dwayne, yet here he was with Star and this proved she wasn’t just anyone to him. He pulled over and she got off the bike.

‘What are we doing here?’ She asked and he didn’t answer her, he just pulled her with him to his favourite spot. He felt calm here and stepped behind her and just held her in the cool night air. It was then he was resolved in his decision to turn her.

‘I wanted to come out here and be alone with you.’ He finally said.

‘Are you OK?’ He smiled at the irony of her question, she was concerned about him.

‘I’m fine. I’m here with you.’

‘Where are the boys?’ She asked.

‘They’re out… socializing’ He said, knowing full well they were out hunting. ‘But speaking of them… you know you’re my girl, right?’

‘What do you mean?’ She asked.

‘’My boys and I are close and we do most things together but you, you are mine and only mine. Right.’ He turned her around and looked into her eyes. ‘And I won’t tolerate anyone, Paul included, getting close to you or touching you.’ He added seriously.

‘Is that why you don’t want me going out without you?’ He wanted to say yes, but it was more than that. He wanted to possess her, consume her and have her be his forever. ‘Don’t you trust me?’

‘It’s not about me not trusting you, after what has happened to you already, I need to know where you are and when I don’t, I will get … anxious.’ Anxious was an understatement, he wouldn’t allow it to happen to avoid the feelings it would incite in him.

‘OK.’ She said quietly, and it was the confirmation he was looking for. His heart surged and he kissed her hard. He wanted to take her and do filthy, animalistic, pornographic things to her but he picked up on her slight shaking and he pulled away from her and told her it was time to go and have some fun. They both needed to relax and have some fun and enjoy each other’s company, they had experienced some serious first few days together and it was time to lighten things up a bit.

He took her down to the Boardwalk and met up with the boys, they had all fed and were in good moods, even Marko seemed to be adjusting to having her around. They went down to the beach and smoked a joint, which had her giggling and the rest of them in the mood to play. They rode the rides, ate popcorn and watched the live band of the night before they hit the arcade where their competitiveness came out. Star and David beat Paul and Marko in air hockey, with the puck frequently flying off the table, and now Paul and Marko were playing Dwayne and Star in Foosball. David stood back and leaned against the wall beside Star, he loved watching her doing something she enjoyed, something that made her smile and laugh. It was like she had truly joined them and she belonged with them. She leaned over to David and kissed him and went back to her game and when David looked up, he looked out the window and straight at Max who was watching him. Fuck, Max had seen her, Max had seen them kiss.

‘Come see me. Tomorrow.’ Max mentally demanded of David and walked away. David no longer had a choice, he would have to tell him about Star, and he knew how well it was going to go down. Like a cup of cold sick. The place was getting ready to close so it was time the boys took their party home.

They all did as they usually do once they got back to the cave and David found it interesting that they acted almost as if she wasn’t there or that she’d been there the whole time. He watched as Paul tried to get her to dance with him and she wisely declined, at least she wasn’t stupid and trying to make him jealous, and Marko was even showing her his talent with the birds. David hadn’t fed so he pulled out his wine bottle and began drinking from it and the boys looked at him and each other with a mixture of interest and concern as to what he was going to do with it. In all honesty he didn’t know what he was going to do, Max knew about Star now and there was a high chance he’d demand that David kill her, or Max would do it for him. If he wanted to keep her, he was going to have to turn her sooner than he’d planned but she needed to be in the cave, under his constant control before that happened and before she was privy to their secret, for that would surely change everything. He offered the bottle to the boys and they all drank from it but she seemed happy to abstain and he decided tonight was not the night. An hour passed and she was perched looking through Dwayne’s drawings, which he never let anyone see, and she was commenting on them when David came up behind her.

‘I have a surprise for you.’ He said into her ear and she spun around and looked at him smiling then followed him out the back into one of the caverns. He had placed the bag of her belongings in the room and she stopped dead upon seeing it.

‘Oh my God. Where did you… You went back? You got my stuff for me?’ She was shocked and it made him smile. She filtered through it and seemed pleased.

‘You did well.’ She said approvingly.

‘It wasn’t me, Dwayne collected what to bring back for you. I was busy dealing with your dad.’ She looked at him at the mention of her dad. ‘He wasn’t happy but he’s not going to be bothering you now.’ He reassured her then he told her that she would never return to San Francisco and she responded by kissing him.

‘Thank you so much. You’re amazing.’ He pulled her back and looked at her hard, connecting with her soul. She was still so young.

‘I told you. I’ll do anything for you.’ He kissed her again. He knew it, he’d found his soul mate, she was meant for him and he was going to take her. Every part of her belonged to him. Her body had melted into his and he knew she wanted him too which had him rearing to go. He felt her perfect body and pulled her closer to him wanting to devour her, then suddenly she pulled away and he saw the perspiration on her forehead and realised something was wrong.

‘I’m sorry.’ She said looking down. He could see she was still affected by her father. Fuck, he wished he could bring the fucker back to life so he could kill him again.

‘It’s OK. In your time.’ He hugged her. He was all worked up now and he was either going to have fuck someone or kill someone or both to relieve himself. ‘I’ll take you back to the motel.’ He told the boys he’d return and left with her.

‘Is he going to tell Max about her? Paul asked after they’d left.

‘He’s going to have to, he’s not going to be able to get away with it for long.’ Dwayne said. ‘But David’s gonna do what David’s gonna do.’ Marko looked at Dwayne as he said it and he knew she was going to change everything, she already had but he had an inkling it was going to get worse.

Arriving at the motel, she climbed off and stood there awkwardly before him and he climbed off and leaned against his bike, watching her.

‘Thank you for my stuff and for dropping me back here. I guess I’ll go inside.’ She was nervous.

‘Star wait, come here.’ He called her back and he pulled her to him and kissed her again. It didn’t help his cause but he knew it would make her feel better. He never wanted to make anyone feel better and he found the compulsion to do so interesting. He never cared about how anyone else felt. He knew he had to leave. ‘I will be back to pick you up. Please be here.’

'I will.’ She said.

‘Go to sleep.’ He said before leaving.

It was late, too late for him to be fucking around but he needed a release. He rode down past the Boardwalk, not expecting to find anyone, but he saw a young run away walking by herself and she was startled by his bike as he slowed next to her.

‘It’s late. Where are you going?’ He asked her.

‘Nowhere. I’m looking for somewhere to sleep.’ She looked at him hopefully and he looked back at her silently. She held no appeal for him compared to Star. She was ordinary and he had so little time, he wondered if she was even worth it and then the Devil in him spoke.

‘Get on.’ A fuck’s a fuck and then he’d feed properly and dump her out to sea, which is exactly what he did, getting back to the cave just as the sky began to lighten. The boys thought he was with Star, and he didn’t correct them, letting them think he’d finally slept with her. He didn’t feel guilty he’d slept with someone else, vampires don’t feel guilt, vampires barely felt anything but this was exactly how things would be. He would continue to do as he pleased and she would do as he allowed. If she did as he did tonight, he’d lose his shit and he was unsure how far his tolerance of that behaviour would go regardless of how he felt about her. Things would change after she was turned, she wouldn’t want a mortal after that, she wouldn’t want anyone after him. She needed to live here and he needed to talk to Max.


	8. Seen - Star's POV

_Star was in her motel room and there was banging on the door. Although she hadn’t looked outside, she knew it was her father and she didn’t want to answer. She didn’t know how he’d tracked her down but he had and she was terrified. There was nowhere to go and he was beginning to break the door down. The door slammed open and hit the wall._

Star woke up sweating, she’d been sleeping on and off and felt horrible, especially after that dream. She got up and showered and sat on her bed, it was 6.30pm and she didn’t want to just sit there for the next two hours and wait for David. She really wanted to speak to Tee so, despite what David had told her, she went down to the Boardwalk and found a public phone. She had all of $10 on her and she took out a quarter and called Tee’s house, the phone rang and rang but there was no answer. Star hung up and figured she would try again in an hour and she wandered down to the beach as the sun began to get lower and it made the sky a rich golden colour. She sat on the sand and watched it slowly set and saw the first of the stars begin to sparkle in the deep purple sky. She slowly made her way back up to the Boardwalk and walked from one end to the other thinking about what she was doing with her life. As kind and caring and sexy as David was, she didn’t feel right about taking advantage of his generosity and she needed some sort of income, she couldn’t live in a motel forever. She walked to the phone and tried Tee’s number again, and again got no answer. She walked away from the phone mildly frustrated and walked on further down the Pier until she approached a video store. She wandered inside and mindlessly looked at all the posters and cases lining the walls then she noticed the man behind the counter watching her peculiarly as she went to leave. She stopped and looked at him and offered an awkward hi to him to which he continued to stare, he looked both intrigued and annoyed as if he knew her or something. She looked at the clock above his head and it read 8:40pm. Damn, she was late. She left the video store quickly and made her way up the road from the Boardwalk towards the motel and coming down past the reception, she saw David was already there sitting on his bike waiting for her. He didn’t look happy and she hoped it had nothing to do with her.

‘Where have you been?’ He demanded crudely, his face flat staring at her and she slowed her pace. It was because of her.

‘I went to try phone Tee and I lost track of time on the Boardwalk.’

‘What did I tell you?’ He was angry. ‘I told you to stay here and I would pick you up.’

‘I’m sorry, I couldn’t sleep and I just wanted to…’ He raised his hand to stop her.

‘Star, when I tell you to be somewhere, you be there.’ He sounded pissed off and when he got off his bike and she got very almost scared. He walked towards her and cupped her face in his hands. ‘I will not have anything happen to you.’ He said then he kissed her. ‘Please do as I ask.’ She took his request to heart, he was visibly upset with her and that was the last thing she wanted. He turned to get on his bike and told her to get on. He seemed on edge and she quickly did as she’d been told and he took off straight away, riding to a quiet secluded spot in the basin overlooking a canyon. It was dark, and a little eerie and strange to her but he seemed content.

‘What are we doing here?’ She asked getting off his bike and he said nothing only grabbing her hand and pulling her with him to the edge of the canyon. David stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and they stood in silence for a few minutes before he spoke.

‘I wanted to come out here and be alone with you.’

‘Are you OK?’ She felt stupid asking him such a question, as she couldn’t imagine him ever not being OK. He was too independent for that.

‘I’m fine. I’m here with you.’ He said holding her tighter.

‘Where are the boys?’ She asked.

‘They’re out… socializing’ He said smiling. ‘But speaking of them… you know you’re my girl, right?’

‘What do you mean?’ She asked unsure of what he was actually asking.

‘My boys and I are close and we do most things together but you, you are mine and only mine.’ He turned her to face him. ‘Right.’ He wanted confirmation of his dominance over her and she looked at him not sure of what to say. ‘And I won’t have anyone, Paul included, getting close to you or touching you.’

‘Is that why you don’t want me going out without you?’ She asked, small alarm bells going off in her head. ‘Don’t you trust me?’

‘It’s not that I don’t trust you, after what has happened to you already, I need to know where you are and when I don’t, I will get … anxious.’ Everything out of his mouth screamed controlling to her but she couldn’t just dismiss all he had done for her. She hoped his possessiveness would calm down after a while of being around her and he would trust her to do her own thing so she would go along with it for the moment until she got her shit together and see how things panned out.

‘OK.’ She said and he bent and kissed her deep on the mouth, she could feel his hardness again and wondered how long it would be before he would want more and she broke into a sweat.

‘Come on.’ He said pulling away and leading her back to his bike. ‘Let’s go have some fun.’ He took her down to the Boardwalk, they met up with the boys and they rode the rides, played at the arcade and laughed and messed around and David seemed to chill out and she really enjoyed herself. She managed to forget about everything and they stayed and played until the place closed then they rode back to the cave and continued to party. Paul got the sounds going and tried to get her to dance with him while Dwayne began to trick some mad skills on his skateboard, she was surprised he was really talented, but Marko seemed to be more reserved and had pulled himself away. She looked over at him after declining Paul’s incessant offer of a dance and she saw he had a pigeon on his hand, it was such a strange sight that she couldn’t take her eyes off him and he looked over at her and smiled. She smiled back at him with this being the first smile he’d ever given her. David pulled out a beautiful wine bottle embellished with a patterned metal casing and coloured jewels all over it and began passing it to the others but it wasn’t offered to her and she was ok with it as Paul had the joints circulating and that was enough for her.

‘What are those?’ She asked Dwayne, looking at the pile of sketching pads at his feet and he looked down at them and bent down, grabbed one and threw one at her. She opened it and began to flick through the pages and it was some of the most amazing artwork she’s ever seen. ‘These are amazing.’ She told him and he gave her a small smile back. David came up behind her and said he had a surprise for her and she happily followed him out the back into one of the back caverns and she saw there was a small bag on a ledge along the wall. A bag she recognised, it was hers.

‘Oh my God.’ She went and picked it up. ‘Where did you…’ she started to say but then it hit her. ‘You went back? You got my stuff for me?’ She couldn’t believe it. She opened it and began looking through its contents. There were a number of items of clothing, some rings, bracelets and earrings, some of her makeup and a small crystal dolphin her mother had given her. There were a few more things she would have liked but she was happy with what he’d gotten for her.

‘You did well.’

‘It wasn’t me, Dwayne collected what to bring back for you. I was busy dealing with your dad.’ She looked at him with a furrowed brow. ‘He wasn’t happy but he’s not going to be bothering you now. You will never return to San Francisco.’ He said and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

‘Thank you so much. You’re amazing.’ He held her then pulled her off him, looking into her eyes.

‘I told you. I’ll do anything for you.’ He kissed her again and she relaxed into the kiss and it got deeper and longer. He had her spinning and she was warming even more to him with every minute that passed. She could feel he wanted more when he rubbed his body up against her and as his hands began to roam down her body and she had a streak of panic run through her but she didn’t want to reject him or make him think she didn’t want him. His hand cupped her breast and she pulled away, not being able to help herself.

‘I’m sorry.’ She said instantly embarrassed.

‘It’s OK. In your time.’ He shushed her and hugged her. ‘I’ll take you back to the motel.’ He said leading her out to the main cave. ‘I’ll be back.’ He said leaving the cave with her. She rode with him to the motel and got off his bike. He climbed off and leaned against his seat watching her.

‘Thank you for my stuff and for dropping me back here.’ He gave her a half smile and nodded at her. ‘I guess I’ll go inside.’ She awkwardly turned to walk inside.

‘Star wait.’ He called after her standing up, and she turned back around. ‘Come here.’ She walked towards him and he grabbed her and kissed her again. ‘I will be back to pick you up. Please be here.’ He told her and she smiled and said she would. ‘Go to sleep.’ He said and she walked inside the motel room.


	9. Moving House - David's POV

David woke early, his brain going over what he was going to say to Max. Max was not going to be happy or accepting of David’s decision but David was going to defend his position regardless of what the outcome would be.

‘Get down here.’ Max’s voice rang in David’s head and he stood up to leave.

‘I have to go see Max.’ David said and he had all of their attention.

‘Ha, why?’ Paul asked.

‘Max saw us at the Arcade last night. He’ll want to know about Star I’m guessing.’ He answered, really not wanting to do this. ‘Go get some food, I'll meet you back here later.’ He said leaving.

0o0

Pulling into the carpark around the back of the video store, David saw Max waiting for him and David cut his engine and got off his bike.

‘What are you doing?’ Max cut to the chase.

‘About what?’ David took off his gloves, stalling, but Max wasn’t having it.

‘I don’t have time, David. Who is she?’

‘Her name is Star.’ David told him.

‘Star? And what are you doing with her?’ Max was impatient in his questioning.

‘She’s living with us.’ David didn’t lie exactly, he just said what was going to happen was already happening and Max glared at him.

‘She’s what? David, we don’t entertain females long term. I told you Marko was to be the last member you would induct and you are in no position to defy me right now.’ Max scolded him, making David’s rebellious streak flare.

‘It’s too late.’ David arrogantly spread his stance and clasped his hands together in front of him.

‘You had better be fucking kidding me.’ Max was fuming but David just stood there and smirked at him and Max lost it, cracking his fist across David’s face hard enough to break a mortals jaw, but David took the hit in his stride.

‘You arrogant fuck! You know there are to be no females. What the fuck are you going to do with her now?!’ Max was pissed so David told him the only thing he knew Max would want to hear, that David had a purpose for her.

‘She’s a distraction Max, she will make great bait. She’ll make us less conspicuous and make us look more mortal, especially if you are going to make us stick around here.’ David had a point but Max didn’t like being challenged and told he was wrong.

‘She’s your problem.’ Max spat. ‘You better know what you are doing. If she fucks up, it’s on you and I'll be paying attention.’ He moved to enter the building and turned to face David, ‘and you don’t tell her about me.’ Max warned him and left him out there alone.

David rode down to the beach and sat and had a cigarette by himself, contemplating what Max had said to him. David knew now that he was going to have to keep her on a real short leash now, because Max would just be waiting for an opportunity to stick it to him over this one and he wasn’t going to let it happen. The weight of the responsibility he now had with her was heavy, he’d just been looking at her as his lover but Max now made him see her as a new recruit and, once he’d turned her, a new vampire, with a large potential of turning feral. He’d just got Marko through the transition, and knowing the potential difficulty that came along with it was disheartening. With Marko, David had Max’s help but with Star, he was on his own. Marko had only just come right many months after being turned and Max had always told David no females due to the problems they caused, both in the group dynamic and in their tendency for not coping and resisting the change. He was beginning to second guess what he was doing. Fucking Max, this is why he needed to be on his own and out of the control of the old man. He would do this on his own and he’d nail it and prove Max wrong. Star was his and the perfect candidate for him to turn.

‘Paul, you and Marko move that large bed from the penthouse suite into the main cave and get Dwayne to pick up some new bedding. She’s moving in.’ David projected to Paul and Paul, sensing his tone, knew not to question or complain.

He rode to the florist and got her another white lily and went to pick her up, seeing her emerge from the room as he pulled up.

‘Hello Star.’ He smiled and gave her the flower, enjoying her reaction to it.

‘Hi David. Thank you,’ she said leaning forward and kissing him, ‘I’m not used to getting flowers.’

‘Well, get used to it. Are you ready?’ He wanted to leave.

‘Um… The motel manager would like to speak to you.’ She told him and it was the last thing he wanted to hear. Dealing with Max had been enough, he wasn’t in the mood for this.

‘Stay here.’ He told her and he dismounted and walked inside the office.

‘What do you want?’ He demanded, no charm in his demeanour for her this time, and the lady’s husband stood behind her and judged him he walked in, which got his back up. The lady looked embarrassed as she looked up at him. 

‘The rate for the girl has gone up.’ The husband barked at David. ‘I didn’t agree to housing a street walker.’ David stopped and stared at him.

‘What did you say?’ David tilted his head slightly then dismissed the man. ‘She’s not.’

‘Could have fooled me.’ He looked over his glasses at him. ‘And she’s very young. It’s illegal to do what you’re doing.’ David’s face changed when he knew where the man was going with this.

‘She’ll be checking out tomorrow.’ David said.

‘Well you owe us $400.’ The man informed David and David laughed.

‘For this dump?’

‘I’m sure the Police would be interested in what you’re doing. I know you, I’ve seen you around.’ The man was trying to intimidate and maybe even blackmail David and it was a bad move. David threw $400 down on the desk and walked out, knowing he’d be back to deal with the man later. He walked to his bike got on and started it before telling her to get on then they headed towards the cave. He walked down into the cave and the boys had got Chinese but he was too pissed off to eat. This is exactly why David told Max he didn’t want to settle in Santa Carla, the chances of being noticed and recognised was a problem for David but Max didn’t care, he just wanted to set up shop here. David had initially felt trapped here but he was dominating the sea side town which made him happy. He knew being known around town was not going to work for him or his boys long term though and it was yet another reason David wanted to break away from Max and be on his own. The others finished eating and David sparked a cigarette and sat in his chair and inhaled his smoke watching her. She looked so young and innocent in his cave of monsters and he looked over her shoulder at the bed that Paul had set up for her then back at her again. He inhaled more smoke and she noticed he was staring at her.

‘What?’ She asked and her uncertainly made him smile.

‘Turn around.’ He told her and her expression made him chuckle. ‘Look behind you. It’s yours’ He said and she turned to look at him again with shock in her eyes. ‘I want you to come stay with us Star.’

‘Am I not able to stay at the motel anymore?’

‘You’re coming to stay here. With us.’ David was telling her what was happening and she looked at David nervously. He finished his cigarette, stood up, took her hand and pulled her to him then led her over towards the bed. ‘I want you to be comfortable here Star. This area is yours and you can bring your stuff here and set it up how you wish.’ He could tell she was scared and, after what she’d been through, he wasn’t surprised. He wanted her to feel at home here, she was going to be here for the long haul and he needed her to be confident that this was her place too. He began to think that the sooner she was turned, the better for everyone. This was odd for the boys too, they’d never lived with a female here and some of the things they got up to were quite extreme and he didn’t want to make the boys feel like their space had been censored either. This was going to be a fine balancing act by the looks of it.

‘David, I have no money to get anything I want, anything I need.’ She said looking around. ‘I really need a job. I can’t rely on you for everything.’

‘No Star, if there is anything you want, we will get it for you.’ He shut her down. There was no way she was going to have a job away from him and once she’d changed, she wouldn’t need or want a job anyways. He watched her contemplate her options and she came to the right conclusion.

‘I would like some candles.’ She said, looking up at him and her comment pleased him.

‘Candles? We can do candles.’ He would get her all the candles in the world to keep her looking at him the way she did right now.

‘You seem like you can do anything.’

‘I can.’ She had no idea what he could do but he would show her soon. ‘We’ll go and get your stuff and then we’re going out.’ He said and they left.

He took her back to the motel to pick up her stuff with the boys in tow. He wanted the manager’s husband to see his crew and to do a bit of intimidation of his own. He went inside with her and she collected up her things then before she left, she ran her finger along a petal of one of the flowers he’d given her.

‘I don’t want to leave them here.’ She said sadly.

‘I’ll get you more.’ He said, leaning forward to kiss her on her lips. He’d fill her area with lilies and candles if that made her happy to live there with him. They left the room and headed back to the bike.

‘Don’t you come back here! You’re bad for business!’ He heard a man yell at him and he looked over to see the manager and her husband standing by the office watching them. David turned away to see his boys all looking at him and he smiled, looking back to the old man to see him push his wife inside and close the door. He was scared and David would show him the true meaning of fear. He looked over at Star to see her looking up at him.

‘Don’t worry about it.’ He said to her. ‘Boys, let’s go to Grapes.’ He deliberately spun his wheel on the drive before he left just to piss the old man off and he took off, hearing the screech of Paul’s tyres after him. They rode to a club that the boys sometimes went to when the Boardwalk was dead or it was raining. They parked up outside and garnered the usual stares from the people gathered outside. Star got off followed by David and he looked at her and saw something was wrong.

‘What is it?’

‘I’m not going to get in.’ She looked over at the judgemental bouncer prompting him to glance over at him and he smiled.

‘Yes you will.’ He said confidently and placed his arm protectively around her.

‘Ah, how old is she?’ The bouncer placed his hand on David’s chest and David glared at him.

‘She’s old enough.’ David compelled the man to let her in, to basically let David do whatever he wanted to do, and the bouncer folded like a piece of paper. He may have been strong in stature but his mental capacity was weak. David made his way through the people to a leaner in the centre of the room and Marko went to get them all drinks. To his surprise, Star took off straight to the dance floor and was happily moving and spinning to the music, she was instantly in her element and he stood there and watched her drift off into her own little world. He noticed she demanded just as much attention the boys did and, although he didn’t like other men wanting his girl, he did see the potential it held for him and how she would make the pull of victims so much easier. He watched a guy make a beeline for her and he moved faster than the guy could see and was in his path before he knew what had happened. He went to move David out of his way but David didn’t budge.

‘Hey dude, move.’ He said staring at Star.

‘Touch her and you’re dead.’ David told the guy and he flashed his red eyes at him.

‘Woah, whatever man.’ The guy darted off in the other direction and David went back to finish his drink with the boys. Dwayne watched as David protected his property and he knew David was going to keep her, he’d never showed he cared much about anyone, but he cared about her. Paul and Dwayne had been on the Jägermeister and within three hours they were hammered and David knew it was time to go. He called Star off the dance floor and they left, heading back to the cave. Dwayne disappeared almost instantly which is what he did when he was smashed but Paul, however, was in a smart ass mood and giving David as much stick as he could. Marko was laughing at his brother and Paul even had David chuckling at the shit he was bringing up and David began throwing comments back at Paul, David would always give as much as he got. David noticed Star walk over to her bed and Paul looked at him and made a sexual hand gesture laughing at him and David gave him the finger before he got up to follow her. He watched her in her space and she looked content.

‘Are you OK?’ He asked her and she looked over at him and nodded. It was done. She now lived here and knowing her birthday was coming up, it would be the perfect time to celebrate with his wine.

‘Woohoo!’ Paul called out leaning over the back of the couch. ‘David’s gonna get some…’ David looked sideways over his shoulder at him.

‘Fuck off Paul.’ He said in a more serious tone.

‘Oooohhh…’ Paul said laughing.

‘Come on Paul.’ Marko picked up on David’s tone and dragged Paul off out the back. David looked back at her and she looked perfect to him. She was in his territory and his to enjoy and he wanted her badly. He moved to her and touched her cheek, pulling her in with his eyes, then he took another step closer and she took an unsteady step back but he continued to look into her eyes and move forward.

‘I’m not going to hurt you.’ He assured her and compelled her harder then he kissed her and he felt the same as he did when they kissed for the first time at the concert, only now there were no restrictions. She was his for the taking and from her response to him, she wanted him too. He kissed her harder and she melted into him and he lay her down on the bed and began to touch her and undress her. He was going to have her tonight and consummate their union.


	10. Moving House - Star's POV

Star awoke late again. It had been three days of sleeping all day and being up all night and this was going to be number four. She showered and got dressed and she wanted to wash some clothing so she went to the reception to buy some washing powder for the washing machines.

‘Where is your friend?’ The lady behind the desk asked, referring to David.

‘He’ll be here soon.’ She said.

‘Well, you tell him to come see me.’ She said handing over some sachets.

‘Sure.’ Star said, getting a sour feeling from the woman and she hoped her lodgings weren’t in jeopardy. She went outside to see the sun dipping below the horizon and she smiled in the warmth. This was working out better than she thought, David was making sure she had everything she needed and seemed to be concerned for her welfare. She walked into the laundry and put a load of washing on. She wished that she could see the boys during the day so they could do some normal things together, and she still wanted to get a job if she wasn’t going back to school. Some money of her own would be nice and she wanted to meet some new friends too but David didn’t seem to want to let her. She walked back into her room, put her hair up, put some make up on and slid her bracelets onto her wrist. She felt pretty and more like herself with her own stuff on. She sat in the room waiting for David for the next hour, afraid if she went anywhere she would upset him again. She so wanted to talk to Tee though, Tee would surely be back by now and would know she was no longer living with her father. Nick the dick would have told her and she’d want to talk to her so she’d try and call Tee again tonight. Hanging out her washing on the back of chairs, she heard the rumble of his motorbike come up the drive and she came out of her room.

‘Hello Star.’ He greeted her and presented to her another flower.

‘Hi David. Thank you.’ She said leaning forward and kissing him. ‘I’m not used to getting flowers.’

‘Well, get used to it.’ He replied. ‘Are you ready?’

‘Um… The motel manager would like to speak to you.’ She said and he looked unimpressed.

‘Stay here.’ He kicked his stand out and strode over confidently to the office while she placed the beautiful long stem in a tall glass of water with the other one. A few minutes later he came out and told her to get on the back of his bike and he screamed out of the parking lot of the motel and he rode straight to the cave and parked next to the staircase. They entered the cave where the boys were all eating Chinese and she sat and ate some chicken fried rice with them but David didn’t eat. Once they were finished, David lit a cigarette and sat back watching her which made her nervous.

‘What?’ She said placing her Chinese carton down, looking back at him and he smiled at her.

‘Turn around.’ He told her and she raised her eyebrows at him which made him chuckle. ‘Look behind you.’ She looked at him confused and twisted her head around to see a large bed with clean white sheets on it sitting in the corner. Her heart stopped and a bolt of fear hit her, what were they planning to do with that? ‘It’s yours.’ David said to her and she spun her head back around. ‘I want you to come stay with us Star.’

‘Am I not able to stay at the motel anymore?’ She asked, a little scared and wondering what that horrible woman had said to him.

‘You’re coming to stay here. With us.’ David said it like it was a done deal. He had decided for her and she knew she didn’t have any input into his decision. She looked at David nervously and he stood, then walked to her and took her hand, pulling her to her feet and over towards the bed. Her heart beat sickeningly in her chest with her uncertainty over what he was about to do and the fact that the boys were right there. She looked at the bed and it was old but the corner posts were beautifully detailed. The sheets were brand new and there were fat comfortable looking pillows placed at the head.

‘I want you to be comfortable here Star. This area is yours and you bring your stuff here and set it up how you wish.’ She stared at him hard and suddenly she believed him. He genuinely wanted to make her feel at ease.

‘David, I have no money to get anything I want, anything I need.’ She said looking around. ‘I really need a job. I can’t rely on you for everything.’ His face changed.

‘No Star, if there is anything you want, we will get it for you.’ She sat on the bed and thought about his words and felt frustrated that he wouldn’t let do anything for herself. What was she going to do? Buy something he didn’t like? But he was being so kind to her and she didn’t want to jeopardise that at all so she didn’t complain or fight him on it and instead she thought of something she wanted.

‘I would like some candles.’ She said and looked up at him and he smiled at her.

‘Candles?’ He said with a raised eyebrow. ‘We can do candles.’ She smiled up at him.

‘You seem like you can do anything.’

‘I can.’ He said touching beneath her chin. Again, she believed him, David was an enigma to her and she looked at him like he was magic. He was amazing, he lived a surreal lifestyle and it seemed to her that he could have anything he wanted. It was all at his fingertips and she wondered how he did it, how any of them did it. They lived in a cave, had no responsibilities, they never went to work and yet they had money for food and clothing and bedding, and music and jewellery and flowers. They partied all night then slept all day without a care in the world. She didn’t understand their existence or really where she would fit in to it and yet she couldn’t say no to him. He still excited her and the fact he’d chosen her still made her heart skip a beat every time she saw him. She wondered if this was love, she’d never been in love before and she wondered if this was it. ‘We’ll go and get your stuff and then we’re going out.’ She smiled at him and they all left. They rode out to the motel to pick up her stuff and after she’d packed up the now dry clothing, she gently touched the white petals of the lilies he’d given her.

‘I don’t want to leave them here.’ She said.

‘I’ll get you more.’ He said placing a gentle kiss on her lips and turning to open the door for her. The boys were all outside and the lady manager and her husband were standing in the doorway of the office.

‘Don’t you come back here! You’re bad for business!’ Her husband yelled at David as Star and he left the room, making all the boys turn and look at him. He quickly ushered his wife inside and closed the door and Star looked up at David.

‘Don’t worry about it. Boys, let’s go to Grapes.’ He jumped on his bike and did a large burn out on the drive before leaving. Paul and Marko hooted and hollered as he did while Dwayne laughed then they followed suit. They rode to the only nightclub in Santa Carla, it was a small building beneath some offices with a large bunch of deep purple grapes on the sign out the front. The music was pumping and it looked like a fun place to hang out for a while, but as she got off the bike she saw the way the bouncers were looking at her and she knew they weren’t going to let her in. David looked at her and saw something was wrong.

‘What is it?’ He asked.

‘I’m not going to get in.’ She told him and he looked over at the bouncer eyeballing her and he smiled.

‘Yes, you will.’ He took her under his arm and walked with her to the door.

‘Ah, how old is she?’ The bouncer stopped them and David held the man’s stare before answering him.

‘She’s old enough.’ The intensity of David’s gaze didn’t go unnoticed by Star and she was astounded when the bouncer stood aside and let her in. The place was buzzing and all she wanted to do was dance. She disappeared off onto the dance floor while the boys went and got drinks for themselves and her and they stood at a bar leaner in the middle of the club. For the next few hours, she danced and talked and laughed, but never without David’s eyes on her which again felt controlling to her but she didn’t mind. A man came and tried to dance with her but he was quickly intercepted by David and she noticed but didn’t pay too much attention to it. She was called off the dance floor by David as Paul and Dwayne were quite smashed and it was time to leave. They made their way back to the cave and upon arriving Dwayne disappeared almost instantly while Paul, in fine form, was giving David all sorts of shit and he had Marko in fits of laughter. She took herself away and went to sit on her bed and she smiled to herself, feeling like she had a place of her own, a place these crazy boys had given her. She began to think about how she would like to decorate her little piece of the cave and she knew asking for candles was definitely a good idea. She grabbed her bag and took her jewellery pieces out and placed them on a small shelf in the cave wall along with the dolphin which sparkled in the fire light.

‘Are you OK?’ She turned to see David standing near the foot of the bed and she smiled and nodded. 

‘Woohoo! David’s gonna get some…’ Paul cat called to David and David told him to fuck off over his shoulder.

'Ooohhh...' Paul sounded like he'd upset the boss and didn't care.

‘Come on Paul.’ Marko hauled him out of the main cave, the both of them laughing, and David rolled his eyes turning back at her. He looked her over, making her feel self-conscious and extremely nervous.

He walked towards her and placed his hand on her cheek without saying a word and she had butterflies swarming in her stomach. He took another step forward and she stepped back but he kept coming.

‘I’m not going to hurt you.’ His voice sounded hypnotic and she froze slightly but her head felt heavy as he leaned in to kiss her. He deepened the kiss and she returned the embrace feeling herself being lowered onto the bed. She felt like she was a little drunk and was under his spell and before she knew it he was laying on top of her with his hand sliding up her leg beneath her skirt. Her mind was racing but her body was reacting to him, loving him and tingling all over at his touch as she succumb to his advances.


	11. Lies - David's POV

David came out into the main cave to find his boys already up and ready to go.

‘What did you do to her?’ Paul asked him as he appeared.

‘What do you mean?’ He replied looking over to her bed and seeing it empty. ‘Where is she?’

‘Don’t know, no sign of her when we came out. Figured you must have dealt to her.’

‘Oh, I dealt to her alright.’ David smirked at his brother.

‘Yeeeah…’ Paul laughed but David’s face dropped realising she was actually gone. ‘Fuck, I told her what would happen if she left. Where the fuck…’ He felt a sense of panic flood him. He needed to find her, she knew about them and where they lived. He’d warned her not to do this and just two days later, she was doing it again. He was pissed and stormed around putting his boots on then he kicked it down to the Boardwalk. His mind was racing about who she could be with as he began stalking the platform. The boys had split up to try calm their leader and help expedite his search for her. Marko thought it was a waste of time, that she was a waste of time and a dangerous distraction for David but Paul didn’t mind, he quite liked her, and Dwayne didn’t care either way, it was David’s fate to be with her and he just accepted it. One thing that was evident was they could all feel David’s stress over not knowing where she was and an unhappy David was not someone they wanted to be around. The first person David thought of was Max and wondered if he’d got his hands on her so he headed straight for the video store to find Max busy training up a new staff member and, although Max knew he was here, he paid him no attention.

‘Found her.’ Dwayne’s voice echoed in David’s head. ‘Southern end of the beach.’ David kicked it there and arrived to see her talking to Greg of all people and his anger just about exploded. What the fuck was she doing? Paul and Marko arrived and David stood back and watched what was going on as Greg’s boys began to circle around her and he stepped in.

‘Fuck off Greg.’ David walked up behind her and he willed the men to do something, anything so he could react but they backed off and Greg mocked him.

‘I’ll see you around.’ Greg said looking at Star which made David seethe. He’d been forbidden from killing the little punk as he was a well-known kid on the Boardwalk and his dad was some prominent dude that Max was doing business with but regardless of what Max wanted, David was going to take this fucker out. He shot a look back at Star, still pissed she’d left.

‘Where have you been?’ He demanded and she gave him a look from steel eyes before he saw tears begin to gather and she spun and went to walk away. ‘Star, answer me.’ There was no way he was going to put up with her walking away from him. She stopped and suddenly turned.

‘What did you do to my dad?’ Her question threw him, who had she been talking to?

‘What do you mean?’ He asked her, trying to gauge exactly what she knew.

‘My dad. He’s dead, so is my brother. What did you do to them?’ Fuck, how did she know? Tears were streaming down her cheeks and he inwardly groaned, this was just what he fucking needed. Deny, deny, deny.

‘I didn’t do anything to them. We just went there to get your stuff and told him to leave you alone from now on. Star, how do you know they’re dead?’ He watched her closely, picking up on all of her subtle body language.

‘I rang to talk to Tee and her mother told me my family were found dead in our house and that Tee never came home from the concert. Her jacket was found down by the bay with blood on it.’ Fucking hell Marko. ‘What did you do to her?’ David slid his eyes to Marko and he could see Marko was in no mood to deal with a near hysterical female accusing him of murder. Marko calmly answered her and she spun out.

‘I have to call the police, they’re looking for me to ask me who Tee left with and I am going to tell them she left with you.’

‘Fuck off!’ Marko cut her off. ‘Don’t you tell any fucking cops anything about me!’ Like fuck anyone was talking to any fucking cops.

‘Marko, calm it. Star, you’re not going to talk to the cops about anything. We haven’t done anything and neither have you. You will stay in Santa Carla and won’t be talking to any fucking pigs.’ He needed to control and deescalate this situation and calm her down.

‘I have to, Tee is missing.’ She went to walk away again and David grabbed her.

‘Don’t you defy me Star, you’ve done it once already tonight, now you’re pushing it. What did I say to you at the motel?’ He was reminding her of who had the power here and he was putting her in her place in front of the boys.

‘To not leave without you.’ She said quietly.

‘Did you think I was fucking kidding?’ He glowered over her making her shrink back and look down shaking her head. He rolled his eyes as she began to cry. ‘You stay away from Greg and his mates and you never leave the cave unless I am with you or I know where you are. Got it?! Let’s go.’ He grabbed her upper arm and practically dragged her along with him. ‘And stop crying, your dad was an asshole anyways.’ He took her back to his bike and told her to get on, which she did, and he rode back to the cave. She fled off to her bed as soon as they arrived and he went and sat in his chair and had a cigarette, trying to calm himself down. Fuck, this was exactly what he didn’t want to have happen, exactly why he didn’t want her going back to San Francisco or going out without him. He was going to have to do some serious damage control because she would be wary as fuck from here on out if she thought they’d killed her family. And Marko, fucking Marko leaving that bitch’s jacket out? What the fuck was he thinking?! And now there was definitely some discord between Marko and Star which could prove to be a problem too. This was all too hard at the moment and he needed to go release his pent up aggression, so he called Paul to come back and be with her so he could go and hunt. Paul appeared half an hour later.

‘Stay here with her.’ David told him when he walked in then he went and leaned over Star’s shoulder and spoke to her in low tones. ‘You’re mine now and you will do as I say. Stay here with Paul.’

David stalked out of the cave and headed back down to the Boardwalk to meet up with Dwayne and Marko, the Boardwalk was closing and the crowds were thinning out. The boys sat at the entrance watching the people leaving and looked at them like they were looking at an all you could eat buffet. A group of beach bums stumbled past stinking of pot and David had made his choice. He jumped down off the wall he was sitting on and began to follow them, Dwayne and Marko doing the same. The men were blissfully unaware of the monsters that were silently tracking them or the imminent nightmare about to befall them. They walked north towards the Bluff and were talking and joking and David kept his distance but was as focussed as a tiger on his prey. Marko looked over at Dwayne and mentally asked him if David was OK.

‘I’m fine.’ David appeared in Marko’s head and Marko shot his glance back at David surprised. The men headed off into the bush and it became the perfect circumstance for David and he followed them.

‘Split up.’ He said below his breath not taking his eyes off the four men and Dwayne went right while Marko went around to the left and David maintained his course directly behind them. It wasn’t long before the men realised they were lost and they stopped for a joint, because that’s the best idea when you are lost in the woods being hunted by vampires, David thought shaking his head. They were about half way through the joint when Dwayne stood on a branch, snapping it loudly making the men stop and look around.

‘What was that?’ One of them said.

‘Why? Are you scared? You fucking pussy.’ Another one laughed at him. ‘Stop bogarting that thing, pussy.’ He said taking the joint from him. Marko’s laugh cackled from the trees and the boys stood up and looked around, truly freaking out now.

‘I told you it was something!’ The first one said.

‘Shut up!’ The other one spat. ‘Who’s there?’ He called out. David laughed, commanding the men’s attention and they spun around in his direction but still saw nothing.

‘Let’s get the fuck outta here.’ One said with the rest of them agreeing then David appeared before them.

‘Who the fuck are you?’

‘I’m going to give you to the count of three.’ David said.

‘Fuck off.’ One of them said and he turned to walk away when Dwayne stepped out in their path making the man stop. ‘I’m going to fuck you up if you don’t get out of my way.’ He said to Dwayne.

‘What do you guys want?’ Another one asked David.

‘I told you, I’m giving you to the count of three.’ David repeated.

‘Before what?’

‘Before we kill you.’ David laughed as their faces dropped.

‘There’s only two of you.’ One of them challenged him and David looked up prompting the men to also look up and they saw a fully turned Marko glaring down at them.

‘What the fuck?!’ One of them screamed and they looked back at David and Dwayne who were now both turned also.

‘One.’ David said and they all ran making David laugh, he so liked to hunt his food. Dwayne and Marko looked at each other smiling. ‘Two.’ David called out and Marko flew from his branch in the tree. ‘Three.’ Marko picked one up, screaming, and disappeared back into the trees with him. Dwayne and David took off after the other three men and Dwayne grabbed one and quickly tore his throat apart with his incisors while David was on the third one ripping his head clean off without even feeding, he then eyed the fourth man who was scrambling through the forest. A blood soaked Marko dropped out of the sky in the man’s path and he backed away screaming.

‘No, no, no! Please no!’ He ran back and to the left where David and Dwayne both walked out of the darkness.

‘Did you tell me to fuck off?’ David asked him.

‘No, please. I’m sorry, please don’t kill me!’ He begged before he bent down and picked up a branch and swung it at them. Dwayne easily grabbed it out of his hands and flung it back into the forest.

‘Bad move.’ David smirked as he launched at him sinking his fangs into his neck and draining him of blood.

‘It was a shame Paul wasn’t here. That was fun.’ David said as they headed out of the woods after planting the bodies far in the tree tops.

‘Dave, why are you bothering with her? She seems like hard work already.’ Marko asked him, not wanting to aggravate him, just wanting a genuine answer.

‘She’s worth it Marko,’ David put his arm around his brother ‘I like her. Max knows about her now and she’s staying. Things will settle down once she’s turned.’

‘You’re going to turn her?’ Dwayne asked.

‘Yep, it’s her birthday next week and we’re going to celebrate with a vintage bottle of red.’ He chuckled and they walked back to the beach where they washed off and rode back up to the Bluff. The boys got off their bikes but David remained on his. ‘Boys, I gotta go get something.’ Marko and Dwayne headed off into the bush towards the cliff top and David sat there for a second, thinking about Star and he actually felt a little sorry for her, she was only 16 years old and her whole world had collapsed around her. He needed to calm her mind, he needed to spoil her, make her feel like he was sorry about her loss and make her believe they had no responsibility at all for any of it. He needed to ensure she wasn’t going to run, Max would have a field day knowing David had lost control of her already. He went to the flower farm and got as many white lilies as he could carry and bought them back placing them all around her bed. The boys had gone to sleep and he returned and grabbed another arm load full and scattered them around her area of the cave then he went back for his bike and he stashed it with the others before going to sleep. He didn’t give a shit about what the boys would think of him doing this, Paul would give him shit and Marko would probably judge him, but he knew what he was doing and he knew it would bring her back to him. He could be a charming son of a bitch when he wanted to be and very few could resist him. Besides, David would never do anything that didn’t benefit him in some way, and this was going to pay off in spades.


	12. Lies - Star's POV

Star woke up in the bed alone and it made her feel a little strange, rejected almost. She didn’t know why David hadn’t stayed with her, especially being her first night here, but she didn’t like it. Looking around, the sun was casting deep orange shadows in through the cave entrance and she sat up and got dressed. She figured while the boys were still asleep she would try to call Tee again. She left the cave and hitched a ride down to the Boardwalk and called Tee’s house and Tee’s mother answered.

‘Hello?!’ She sounded stressed.

‘Hi Alice, it’s me. Are you OK?’ Star asked.

‘Oh My God! Where have you been?! Everyone is looking for you! Where is Toni?!’ She practically screamed down the phone.

‘What do you mean where is Toni? I’m ringing for her. I haven’t seen her since the concert. Did she not come home?’ Star’s heart sunk into her stomach. She knew something had been wrong when Marko had told her that story and she should have listened to her instincts.

‘No and her jacket was found down at the bay covered in blood. Why did you split up?! You never split up, you know that!’

‘I know, I’m sorry. She went off with a man then got into a car with some friends and that’s all I know. Alice, what do you mean covered in blood?’ Star’s knees went weak and guilt began to blanket her.

‘Where are you? You need to come home, the police need to speak to you. There’s something else.’

‘I’m in Santa Carla staying with friends. What else?’ Star didn’t like her tone.

‘The police went to your house looking for you when we reported Toni missing and they found your dad and your brother. Honey, they’re dead.’

‘They’re what?!’ She began to shake. ‘Alice, say that again?’ Star couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

‘Your dad and brother were found murdered in your house. I’m so sorry sweetheart.’ Star went numb. ‘You need to come back and speak to the police.’ Tee’s mother began crying and Star struggled to truly comprehend the magnitude of what was being said to her. She had to get off the phone and she promised to call the police and she said she would contact her again soon but said she couldn’t come back to San Francisco again then she hung up. Almost instantly, she went into a state of shock and found there were way too many people on the Boardwalk for her comfort right now so she made her way down to the beach to process what she’d just heard. Toni was missing. Missing. And her dad and brother were dead. She couldn’t believe it. Despite what her father had done to her, he was her only parent and she began to cry then, thinking of her brother, she cried harder and dropped to her knees on the sand sobbing. What the hell had happened to her life? Lightning flashed out above the Pacific Ocean and she heard the crack of thunder making her look out at the thick black clouds rolling in. She tried to pull herself together and piece together what she knew to be true about the last week. She knew Tee had gone off with Marko and she knew Tee had gone off with someone else in a car… no, that was what Marko had told her. She didn’t know if that was true or not. She knew David and the boys had been back to her house to collect her things and David had said he had ‘dealt’ with her father and that her father would leave her alone from now on and she was not going to return to San Francisco. Both of these incidents led her back to David and his boys. Could they have done this? Could they have killed her friend and family? Why would they do that? Well, she could understand why David would hurt her dad but not kill him and not kill Tee or Nick. She felt sick thinking that she could potentially be living and had slept with a guy who could orchestrate the murder of her whole family. She thought of Marko and, although he was so young and innocent looking, there was something hiding in his demeanour that she didn’t trust. It was in the way he smiled that made her blood run cold, she didn’t trust him that night and she didn’t trust him now. What was she going to do? If it was true and they had killed her family and Marko was responsible for Tee’s disappearance, she couldn’t stay there with them. She would have to go but where was she going to go? She had nowhere to go now. She felt scared and cold and as she stood up, she noticed the wind had picked up and was blowing her hair and skirt around. The sun was now gone and the moon was darkened by the water filled clouds and she wished she had a jacket as she began to slowly walk back to the Boardwalk before it started raining.

‘You’re their bitch.’ A voice spoke to her and she turned to see some young punk looking surfers behind her laughing at her.

‘Sorry?’ She asked.

‘You shouldn’t be hanging out with those tools’ a different voice told her and they laughed again. 

‘I seen you on the Boardwalk. You should be with a real man’ the blonde one said, ‘not those pansies you ride with. I’ll give you a decent ride.’ He laughed and as he spoke his friends began to circle around her and she began to panic.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ She said trying to back away but one of them pushed her back towards the blonde.

‘I’ll show you what you’re missing…’ He said reaching out to grab her.

‘Fuck off Greg.’ David appeared behind her and Greg laughed, his boys backing away. Paul, Marko and Dwayne stood near David and looked at them with stone cold expressions. She realised she was in the middle of a feud that actually had nothing to do with her and she didn’t like it. Greg looked from David back to Star.

‘I’ll see you around.’ He smiled and blew a kiss into the air in her direction then, looking back at David, he laughed along with his mates. David just stared daggers back at Greg before he looked back at her and almost gave her the same look.

‘Where have you been?’ He was pissed off with her and she stood there and glared at him for a minute before feeling her stomach tighten and tears beginning to well up and she realised she couldn’t do it and she turned to walk away. ‘Star, answer me.’ She heard his words and took a few steps then abruptly turned around, she was going to have to confront him.

‘What did you do to my dad?’ She stood there scrutinizing his reaction to her question.

‘What do you mean?’ He asked her.

‘My dad. He’s dead, so is my brother.’ She said, single tears falling down her cheeks. ‘What did you do to them?’

‘I didn’t do anything to them. We just went there to get your stuff and told him to leave you alone from now on.’ His voice was unnaturally calm and he narrowed his eyes at her. ‘Star, how do you know they’re dead?’

‘I rang to talk to Tee and her mother told me my family were found dead in our house and that Tee never came home from the concert.’ She shot a dirty look at Marko. ‘Her jacket was found down by the bay with blood on it.’ Marko just gave her a dead expression. ‘What did you do to her?’ She spat at him and he kept his expression.

‘I told you, she took off with some other people. I didn’t do shit to your friend. She was a pain in the ass.’

‘I have to call the police, they’re looking for me to ask me who Tee left with and I am going to tell them she left with you.’

‘Fuck off!’ Marko cut her off. ‘Don’t you tell any fucking cops anything about me!’ Marko exploded and David interjected.

‘Marko, calm it. Star, you’re not going to talk to the cops about anything. We haven’t done anything and neither have you. You will stay in Santa Carla and won’t be talking to any fucking pigs.’ David was trying to shut this whole situation down but she didn’t want to hear it.

‘I have to, Tee is missing.’ She went to walk away again and David stopped her.

‘Don’t you defy me Star, you’ve done it once already tonight now, you’re pushing it.’ He was warning her and she stared at him struggling to believe what he was saying and why he was saying it. Why would he not want her to talk to the cops unless he and his boys had done something wrong? As she had the thought, a shiver ran up her spine and she felt scared. ‘What did I say to you at the motel?’

‘To not leave without you.’ She said quietly, feeling like a little girl being told off.

‘Did you think I was fucking kidding?’ He glared at her and she looked down and shook her head, more tears sliding down her face. ‘You stay away from Greg and his mates and you never leave the cave unless I am with you or I know where you are. Got it?!’ His words were harsh and it seemed like he cared more about the fact she had left the cave alone than about her family or best friend being murdered. ‘Let’s go.’ He grabbed her upper arm roughly and pulled her alongside of him. ‘And stop crying, your dad was an asshole anyways.’ He was angry. Angry she’d called home, angry she’d not done as he’d said, angry she was upset. She didn’t like him when he was angry. He took her back to the cave without the boys and she went straight to her bed while he sat in his chair and had yet another cigarette. Paul came back about an hour later and David leaned over her and spoke to her.

‘You’re mine now and you will do as I say. Stay here with Paul.’ She didn’t look at him, she just heard him leave and she lay there and cried, her tears wetting her pillow case. She finally calmed herself and found herself staring at her mother’s dolphin and the reflections of the fire bouncing off of it. She didn’t know how long he’d been there but she became aware of Paul next to her bed and she looked up at him.

‘Are you OK?’ She gave him an exhausted nod. This night had just been too much for her.

‘Why won’t he let me call about Tee? I have to help the cops find her.’ She said to him, sitting up and he looked at her, hesitating for a second, before sitting on the edge of her bed.

'Look, we have had our fair share of interaction with the local law and David is none so keen on having a chat about a murder he has nothing to do with. And Marko has nothing to do with your friend either, I was with him when she took off.’ She looked at him shocked.

‘Why haven’t you said anything?’ She asked him.

‘I didn’t have to. Why didn’t you believe him?’ He shot back and she looked away thinking before she answered him.

‘Because something about his story didn’t ring true to me.’ She said honestly. ‘Tee wouldn’t just leave me there alone.’ He sat there and looked at her, impressed at how correct her instincts were.

‘Let me give you a few pointers about being here. Never question David, what he says goes. Don’t ask, it’s just the way it is. And if I were you, I wouldn’t be going anywhere without him, he just about lost the plot not knowing where you were tonight. You belong to him and he’s very jealous and protective of his possessions. You’ll get used to it.’ He got up smiling but she didn’t smile back, she really wasn’t in the mood for niceties right now. ‘Another, heads up, don’t cry. He hates dealing with chicks crying. The rest you can work out for yourself.’ He walked away leaving her alone on her bed and she lay back down thinking about what he’d said to her until she fell into a deep sleep.


	13. Connection - David's POV

‘Woah, what the fuck?!’ Paul said coming out of the back of the cave followed by Marko, who stopped and looked around the cave, decidedly unimpressed. Dwayne and David were already up and had been talking and smoking at the cave entrance together. David walked in upon hearing the other two come out and he headed straight towards Marko and Marko was under no illusion that David was pissed.

‘You have no reason to look like that. You’re the reason I had to do this, not her. What the fuck were you thinking?’ David demanded, in his cool calm demeanour.

‘How was I to know the jacket would be found that fast?’ Marko said and almost instantly he regretted it.

‘Since when do we leave anything from our kills lying around? Fucking stupid, Marko.’ David told the boy off and turned away. ‘Get out.’ David threw his cigarette butt into one of the barrels and the boys all looked at him. ‘Get out, I’ve got some serious damage control to execute. You’re on your own tonight.’ David walked over towards Star’s bed where she lay still sleeping, yet the boys didn’t move, they just looked at each other unsure if he was serious. ‘Now!’ He ordered and they bolted leaving the cave straight away He brushed her hair off her face and sat down next to her bed and she began to stir, her eyes flickering open.

‘Are you OK?’ He asked her and he saw her large auburn eyes open and focus on him before she looked away and lightly shook her head. He picked up two flowers and placed one alongside her. ‘I’m sorry about your family and I hope they find your friend.’ He was telling her exactly what she needed to hear. It was all bullshit, he didn’t give a fuck about her friend or her family and he almost resented having to do this but he was in a situation where he felt he had to. His momentary feeling of empathy had passed and now he was merely doing what he had to in order to calm her down and stop her from going to the cops. He sat and watched her reaction to the mass of flowers around her. ‘I figured you could do with some beauty around you. You’re too special to me to be sad.’ He was speaking the truth, he did think she deserved beauty for she was beautiful and she didn’t realise exactly how special she was to him and what he was jeopardising to be with her.

‘Thank you.’ She smiled at him.

‘You’re welcome.’ He said getting up and walking over towards his chair, grabbing his jacket and filtering through his pockets to find the money he’d taken from last night’s meal. They’d had a surprising amount of money on them, nearly $600. Dwayne figured they’d just sold an ounce but David didn’t care where they’d gotten it, it was theirs now. He gave $300 to the boys and kept the other $300 for himself.

‘Where are the boys?’ She asked walking towards him. He turned and once again was taken back by how stunning she looked, but he wanted her to change her skirt, it wasn’t right for the restaurant he wanted to take her to.

‘They’re out. It’s just you and me tonight. Change that skirt, we’re going out to dinner.’ Her eyes displayed her surprise in what he’d just said and he watched her turn and go and change her skirt. He couldn’t help himself and his eyes followed her slender legs as she stepped out of her skirt and into another one, she held a definite appeal for him and simple gestures from her turned him on. He looked away and put his jacket and she walked back out and he was happy by the change.

‘Nice.’ He said placing his arm around her shoulder and leaving the cave. Bocci’s Cellar was the oldest restaurant in Santa Carla and he wanted to be around a touch of class and elegance, looking at David, you wouldn’t think he cared for such things but in his time on this earth, he’d grown to appreciate certain aspects of human culture and tonight he wanted to show her a different side of him. They were shown to a table outside and upon seating, the wind blew and he saw her shiver. ‘Are you cold?’ He asked.

‘No, I’m OK.’ She assured him but he didn’t listen and he slid his heavy overcoat off and placed it around her shoulders. ‘I’ll get you a jacket.’ He decided, looking at her tiny frame being swallowed by his huge coat.

‘Can I get you a drink?’ The waitress swung by.

‘I’ll have a JD and Coke.’ He said and she looked at Star.

‘Just a water thanks.’ Star said and the waitress flitted off returning within five minutes with the drinks and ready to take a food order, there weren’t too many people in the place which meant the service was quick. Star ordered some chicken something while David declined to order anything, eliciting a nervous look from his date.

‘Why aren’t you eating?’ She asked.

‘I’m not hungry, not for food anyways.’ He smirked at her. ‘I’ll eat something later.’

‘OK.’ She looked away a bit awkwardly.

‘Star, are you planning on going to the funeral?’ He asked. He wasn’t interested in her answer, he was baiting her really, there was no way he was going to allow her to go to any fucking funeral but he wanted to know if she was thinking of attending and he wanted to put across the idea that he cared.

‘I don’t think anyone would pay for a funeral for my dad. Besides, if anyone did, it’s probably been done already, they’d been looking for me for a week. I would like to go back and get the rest of my stuff though, if it’s still there.’ She was asking him if she could, if she was permitted to do so and it pleased him, she was getting used to the way it was now, the way it would continue to be between them.

‘No, you’re not going back. I told you, anything you want I will provide for you. You’re my girl.’ He paused, watching her take in his directive. ‘To new beginnings.’ He willed her to cheers with him, to solidify their relationship and the confirmation of her now firmly belonging to him. She looked at him and he lay his influence thick on her and she was easy to manipulate being only 16. ‘Next subject, what would you like to do for your birthday?’ Her eyes shot up from her glass. ‘You told me at the concert, remember?’

‘Oh.’ She relaxed a little, he had the feeling this dinner date had her a little anxious.

‘What day is it?’

‘The 14th’

‘Ah, next Friday. A good day to celebrate. Of course, we celebrate every Friday, but next Friday will be about you.’ He took hold of her hand across the table, feeling the slight tremble of her fingers. ‘Are you happy with us?’ He pushed her for an answer and she contemplated the question before answering him.

‘Why don’t you live in a house?’ It wasn’t the response he expected.

‘The cave suits us better, don’t you think?’ She shrugged her shoulders. ‘Well, once you get to know us better, you will see.’ It wouldn’t be long before she knew the truth, the entire truth about him and his boys and then she would be with them forever. He watched her looking around the room, the candle light framing her features beautifully and creating complex shadows along her cheek bone and jaw line. In the moment of silence, of intimate closeness, he really felt like they were a couple. He felt like he was sitting there with his girlfriend, someone he actually cared about and he’d never felt like this before. He noticed her smile at someone and his eyes flicked over towards the bar and he saw Max sitting there drinking his Chivas and watching them. How long had he been there? David was disturbed that he hadn’t sensed Max’s presence and he knew it was because of her. What the fuck did he want?

‘She’s pretty, beautiful even.’ Max’s voice tormented David’s brain. ‘Romantic dinner, is it? I see you haven’t forgotten the chivalry I taught you.’

‘What are you doing here?’

‘I saw the boys out without you and I thought I’d find out what my favourite son is up to. And here you are. And you lied,’ Max’s glasses reflected the lights of the bar as David glared at him, ‘she’s not turned.’ David rolled his eyes away from Max and looked at Star, whose meal had arrived. ‘You’re playing with fire David, and she’s not the only one who will get burned. You both will.’ David looked back to him and Max finished his drink sliding his glass across the table looking back at his son before he got up and left. Fucking Max, he wasn’t going to let up on David and the last thing David needed was to be pressured about her. As she took her last bite, he asked her if she was done and she nodded and he left a fifty dollar bill on the table and they walked out. He rode down to the Boardwalk and upon getting off the bike she asked him if they were meeting the boys down here and he said no, he had no intention of the boys ruining tonight for him, even though Max had basically done that for him already. They walked down and away from the rides and, as he walked, his thoughts were consumed with Max. He couldn’t believe Max had tracked him to the restaurant, Max had never shown too much interest in what David did or where he was unless he wanted him to do something for him. Max and David had been together for long enough that Max had a level of trust for David and his boys to maintain their anonymity so it perplexed David that Max was now overly interested. He saw her stop and look as some cheap jewellery and he glanced around and spotted a jacket he liked in the store behind them. He walked in and knew it would be perfect for her so he took it and came back out with it.

‘For you.’ He helped her into it.

‘Thank you, this is great.’ She said appreciatively.

‘Love, do you want anything? I’m closing in five minutes.’ The shop keeper interrupted them.

‘Oh, no thanks.’ Star answered her but David countered her.

‘Yes she will. She’ll have those and those and these.’ David chose three pairs of earrings and paid the lady winking at Star. He wanted to leave, he knew it was going to rain and he hated riding in the rain.

‘Thank you.’ He heard her say and he continued walking without saying anything. ‘I’m sorry.’ He halted and looked at her. ‘For last night, I just couldn’t put it all together and I was freaking out. I didn’t mean to go off at you and Marko, I know he didn’t do anything because Paul told me he was with him when she left and I’m sorry.’ He had her again, she no longer believed they had done anything wrong and she was no longer a threat to them. He didn’t need to pamper her anymore. It was spitting now and he wanted to get off the Boardwalk.

‘Come on, let’s get out of here.’ He couldn’t help but get wet on the ride back to the cave and, before they’d reached the cave it began to rain heavily. She was moving too slowly for his liking so he turned and picked her up and hurried down into the cave. As he tried to dry himself off, he tried not to be so annoyed, which he already was. Max had soured his mood let alone the rain and he looked over at her and she was placing a pair of her new earrings into her lobes.

‘You like?’ He asked her.

‘I love. I pierced my own ears last year.’ She informed him.

‘Will you do mine?’ He looked at her sideways watching her response.

‘Sure, if you want.’ She sat on the couch looking relaxed for the first time.

‘I want.’ He said lighting a cigarette.

‘OK, I’ll need a needle and a lighter and ice and some antiseptic.’ She told him.

‘What’s the ice for?’ He asked, genuinely unsure and forgetting the mortal apprehension to pain.

‘To numb it.’

‘You won’t need that. I like a little pain.’ He curled his lip. ‘I have a pin, do it now.’

‘I don’t have a ring to put in it or any antiseptic.’ She said and he pulled out a barbed wire hook out of his pocket and handed it to her. He then handed her a safety pin that he’d pulled open and a lighter.

‘What about antiseptic? I don’t want it getting infected.’ She said almost worried.

‘Don’t worry about it.’ He brushed her concern off.

‘Are you sure?’ She asked, looking at him with her head cocked to the side and he smiled.

‘Do your worst.’ He said seductively. She jumped up and went to her bed and rummaged around her bag for something. He came up behind her and saw her twisting a piece of black leather into the hook and he smiled. In her action, it was like she knew him already. He sat on her bed and watched her burn the pin until it glowed and then she placed it down on a piece of cloth then once it had cooled, she took it and kneeled next to him.

‘Are you ready?’ She asked.

‘You have no idea.’ He watched her as she got closer to him and took his ear in her hand and pricked the lobe with the pin and pushed it through his skin.

‘Did that hurt?’ She asked him screwing up her nose.

‘No.’ He said quietly and she slid the earring into his ear and adjusted it slightly.

‘There, do you want to look at it?’ She asked getting up motioning to the mirror and he grabbed her arm, stopping her.

‘No.’ He repeated and she sat back down next to him, her face close to his. ‘Thank you.’ He said as his voice pulled her in.

‘You’re … welcome.’ She stuttered as he reached up sliding his hand beneath her hair and around the back of her neck and gently stroked her skin. She closed her eyes and he pressed his lips against hers and as the kiss deepened, he pulled her up onto the bed with him and on top of him before he began to devour her with his tongue. Their interaction became more acute and he began to undress her, and taking in the sight of her beautiful body, it made him even harder and made him want her more. Suddenly a commotion came flooding down the entrance of the cave and the boys appeared looking like drowned rats hooting and laughing. Obviously they’d made good use of the money they had and they were suitably wasted.

‘Woooo!!’ Paul howled as he caught sight of Star and David and she grabbed her top covering herself up and David was pissed. He didn’t like being interrupted, especially doing what he was doing. It was then he realised Star needed some curtains or something, no he wanted one of the old hotel beds stashed in one of the back caves to be his to do what he pleased with his girl without Paul’s perving eyes, or Marko’s judging ones. He’d never cared before, but he did with Star.

‘Get out.’ David demanded again.

‘Nah, we like the show.’ Paul laughed.

‘GET OUT!’ David roared and the boys jumped.

‘Geez, twice in one night.’ Paul muttered as they left to go out the back. David looked back at her and she was watching him nervously.

‘Sorry about that, they won’t be back out tonight.’

‘You can’t kick them out because of me.’ She shook her head.

‘I can do whatever I want.’ He told her as lightning flashed into the cave. ‘They won’t be going anywhere in this weather tonight. We’re on our own out here.’ He leaned over to her to kiss her again but she hesitated. ‘You can put up some curtains around here for some privacy. I should have known better with Paul around. Come here.’ He pulled her to him again and she folded into him. David got carried away as they got more involved and he inadvertently bit her lip making it bleed and he got a taste of her blood on his tongue and it was the sweetest intoxicating blood he’d ever had. He was surprised but not as much as he’d surprised her when she pulled away and touched her lip and when she looked at him she froze. It was then he realised he’d betrayed his mortal façade and she had caught her first glimpse of the real David and he quickly pulled her back to him and controlled his monster from being visible.

‘Wait, what…’ She pushed away from him and he looked at her.

‘What?’ He asked and she just looked at him. ‘I’m sorry, sometimes I get carried away. Are you hurt?’

‘Oh, no. Um… I’m fine.’ She said, narrowing her eyes, looking confused.

‘Good.’ He said leaning over her and kissing her again and for the first time he made love to his girlfriend.


	14. Connection - Star's POV

Star woke up feeling like shit, her eyes felt swollen from crying and she didn’t want to get up. She had no idea what time it was and she didn’t care.

‘Are you OK?’ Her eyes sprung open to see David sitting on the floor against the wall next to her bed. She looked away from him and shook her head no and he placed a flower next to her. ‘I’m sorry about your family and I hope they find your friend.’ He said and she looked up at saw he had another flower twirling in his hand. It was then she looked around and saw many more flowers scattered around her. She sat up and took in the sight feeling a bit dazed.

‘Oh my…’ She said disbelieving he’d done this for her.

‘I figured you could do with some beauty around you. You’re too special to me to be sad.’ She looked at him and smiled.

‘Thank you.’ He got up and kissed her on her forehead.

‘You’re welcome.’ He walked out and left her in the bed alone and she suddenly felt guilty for accusing David and Marko, especially after everything they had done for her. She got up and got dressed, leaving her hair down and placing some dark red lipstick on her lips. She looked at herself in the antique mirror they’d given her and she was happy with what she saw. She felt a little better and she went out to find David there on his own.

‘Where are the boys?’ She asked.

‘They’re out. It’s just you and me tonight.’ He told her. ‘Change that skirt, we’re going out to dinner.’ She looked at her skirt and turned and went to get changed. As she took her skirt off, she felt very exposed in her area knowing he was watching her. She put her black flats on, smoothed her skirt out against her legs and came out to meet him. ‘Nice.’ He placed his arm around her and accompanied her out of the cave. He took her inland to Bocci’s Cellar where they got a table outside on their own. It was a little cold and she involuntarily shivered. ‘Are you cold?’

‘No, I’m OK.’ She lied and he took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

‘I’ll get you a jacket.’ The waitress came and took a drinks order and returned with their drinks to take a food order. David declined to order anything but insisted she order whatever she wanted so she ordered a chicken dish and the waiter left.

‘Why aren’t you eating?’ She asked.

‘I’m not hungry, not for food anyways.’ He said and she knew he was looking for a reaction from her. ‘I’ll eat something later.’

‘OK.’ She said looking across the street.

‘Star, are you planning on going to the funeral?’ Funeral? She hadn’t even thought about any funerals.

‘I don’t think anyone would pay for a funeral for my dad. Besides, if anyone did, it’s probably been done already. They’d been looking for me for a week.’ She fiddled with her napkin as she spoke. ‘I would like to go back and get the rest of my stuff though, if it’s still there.’ She looked up at him hopeful.

‘No, you’re not going back. I told you, anything you want I will provide for you. You’re my girl.’ He lifted his glass. ‘To new beginnings.’ She looked at his glass waiting for her to cheers with him then into his blue eyes glistening in the candle light and she smiled and picked up her glass of water and clinked her glass with his. ‘Next subject, what would you like to do for your birthday?’ She looked at him surprised. ‘You told me at the concert, remember?’

‘Oh.’ She smiled shyly.

‘What day is it?’

‘The 14th’

‘Ah, next Friday. A good day to celebrate. Of course we celebrate every Friday but next Friday will be about you.’ He took her hand. ‘Are you happy living with us?’ He asked her and she nodded then she thought about it and she felt comfortable enough to ask him what she wanted to ask him the first night they’d met.

‘Why don’t you live in a house?’

‘The cave suits us better, don’t you think?’ She shrugged her shoulders not really wanting to answer that.

‘Well, once you get to know us better, you’ll see.’ She wondered what he meant by that and with their fingers still interlinked across the table, she looked around at the other patrons in the old styled restaurant. There was an old couple celebrating an anniversary, there were parents out on a date night, families out for dinner and a group of business men having drinks at the bar top. Then she saw a man, one who looked familiar, at a table in the bar area by himself. He was staring at her and she suddenly clicked that he was the man from the video store and she smiled back at him before the waiter brought her meal. She finished it easily, not realising how hungry she was until she began eating, while David sat there watching her in silence then he wanted to leave as soon as she was done. They walked out through the bar and she noticed the man had gone and, once outside, they rode down to the Boardwalk.

‘Are we meeting the boys?’ She asked as he got off the bike.

‘No.’ He kissed her quickly and they walked down towards the clothing and souvenir stores. They walked along in silence and she was beginning to understand that this was the way David operated, he was definitely the strong and silent type and she almost felt privileged that he would spend the time with her. She stopped to look at some dangly earrings at one of the stalls and he suddenly appeared with a black jacket with tassels on the shoulders and embroidery around the cuffs.

‘For you.’ He said, holding it out for her to put it on. The sleeves were a little big but she liked it.

‘Thank you, this is great.’

‘Love, do you want anything? I’m closing in five minutes.’ The old lady at the stall said to her.

‘Oh, no thanks.’ Star said smiling.

‘Yes, she will. She’ll have those and those and these.’ David said pointing out some pairs of earrings and Star looked at him and he winked back at her. He’d picked out some beautiful pairs of earrings that totally suited her and he paid for them and they walked away, her holding her new gifts. He’d been such a gentleman tonight which made her feel even guiltier about her behaviour last night.

‘Thank you.’ She said and he continued walking without looking at her.

‘I’m sorry.’ She said quickly and he stopped and looked at her but didn’t say anything creating an awkward silence which she felt obliged to fill. ‘For last night, I just couldn’t put it all together and I was freaking out. I didn’t mean to go off at you and Marko, I know he didn’t do anything because Paul told me he was with him when she left,’ she was rambling and she had to stop talking ‘and I’m sorry.’ He stood and looked at her and, although he said nothing, he seemed to accept her apology and she hoped Marko would too. It began to spit steadily and he took her hand.

‘Come on, let’s get out of here.’ They walked back to his bike and they rode back to the cave. Halfway down the rocky staircase it began to pour down when suddenly he spun around and picked her up and carried her the rest of the way. He was surprisingly strong for how wiry he was, much like Paul, and he moved faster than she expected, with an eerie precision in his steps. He gently placed her down as they reached the cave floor and she walked to her bed while he took his large overcoat off and shook the water out of his spiked hair with his hand. She took her earrings out of her jacket pocket and placed them with her bracelets, inserting one pair into her ears and looking in the mirror pleased.

‘You like?’ He asked her.

‘I love.’ She said, taking her jacket off and placing it on the end of her bed. ‘I pierced my own ears last year.’ She smiled at him.

‘Will you do mine?’ He asked as she walked back towards him and she sat on the couch.

‘Sure, if you want.’

‘I want.’ He affirmed.

‘OK, I’ll need a needle and a lighter and ice and some antiseptic.’ She told him.

‘What’s the ice for?’

‘To numb it.’ She answered creasing her brow.

‘You won’t need that. I like a little pain.’ He flicked her a cheeky smile. ‘I have a pin, do it now.’

‘I don’t have a ring to put in it or any antiseptic.’ She said and he handed her a barbed wire looking thing and she studied it. He then gave her a safety pin and a lighter.

‘What about antiseptic? I don’t want it getting infected.’ She said concerned.

‘Don’t worry about it.’ He dismissed her comment.

‘Are you sure?’ She asked, looking at him sceptically and he smiled back at her.

‘Do your worst.’ He said. She looked at him for a second then back at the ‘earring’ he’d given her. She suddenly had an idea and went to her bag and got out a strip of leather that she had in her bag she used for a necklace strap and she snapped an inch off and twisted it into his barbed wire hook. She took the lighter and began burning the pin until it was red hot and she lay it on a piece of cloth to cool. He had sat on her bed watching her and once the pin was ready, she got down on her knees beside him and looked at him. 

‘Are you ready?’ She asked.

‘You have no idea.’ She took his ear in her hand and inserted the pin into his skin waiting for him to flinch but he didn’t, he didn’t seem like he felt it at all. She pushed it through the other side and looked at him.

‘Did that hurt?’ She asked him wincing.

‘No.’ He said calmly and she finished the procedure and slid the earring into his ear.

‘There, do you want to look at it?’ She asked getting up to get her mirror to show him but he grabbed her arm quite hard and stopped her.

‘No.’ He said intently and she sat back down next to him, a little confused that he didn’t want to see her handiwork. ‘Thank you.’ He said his face close to hers and his voice as smooth as velvet. She didn’t understand that with just a word he could have this effect on her.

‘You’re … welcome.’ She struggled to get the words out as he continued to stare into her eyes. He reached up and slid his hand around the back of her neck and began stroking her nape sending shivers all through her body. She closed her eyes and felt him kiss her and as she returned the kiss, he pulled her up on top of him with his unexplainable strength and he held her tight as they began to get more intense with each other and she felt his hands beneath her singlet and sliding the material up and over her head. She was jerked out of her bliss by loud voices and laughing and she realised the boys were back and she quickly grabbed her top and tried to cover herself up.

‘Woooo!!’ She heard Paul calling out and she cringed covering her face.

‘Get out.’ David warned the boys.

‘Nah, we like the show.’ Paul joked, making her even more embarrassed.

‘GET OUT!’ David screamed and it frightened her. She looked up at him and saw the look on his face and the boys’ reaction to him and it scared her even more. Paul mumbled something and she suddenly felt guilty as they left and she looked at David and his face has calmed as he looked back at her but the damage was done and she was again wary of him.

‘Sorry about that, they won’t be back out tonight.’ He said and with the way he’d spoken, she believed him.

‘You can’t kick them out because of me.’ She looked at him trying to put her singlet on again but he stopped her.

‘I can do whatever I want.’ Lightning flashed into the cave and she jumped. ‘They won’t be going anywhere in this weather tonight. We’re on our own out here.’ He leaned toward her to kiss her again and she withdrew a little. ‘You can put up some curtains around here for some privacy. I should have known better with Paul around. Come here.’ He pulled her to him again and his concern for her privacy comforted her a little and she went to him. She kissed him again and as he leaned over her, she could feel how badly he wanted her and then she felt a sharp pain in her mouth as he bit her lip. She pulled away lifting her hand to her lip and seeing blood and she looked up at him shocked but she was nowhere near prepared for what she saw once she looked at him. His eyes were yellow and red and very wrong, they looked inhuman even and she didn’t know how to react. He leaned towards her and held her but she pushed him off her.

‘Wait, what…’ She pulled away from him and he looked at her.

‘What?’ He asked and she looked at him to see his stunning blue eyes glinting at her and she studied them trying to understand what just happened. ‘I’m sorry, sometimes I get carried away. Are you hurt?’ He said like he genuinely cared.

‘Oh, no. Um… I’m fine.’ What the fuck? Was she hallucinating?

‘Good.’ He said leaning over her and kissing her again and she let it go, she had to and after they'd made love, she felt like they had truly connected for the first time.


	15. Happy Birthday - David's POV

David had watched with interest, over the past week, as Star had dragged out some of the old bedding and furnishings from the bowels of the old hotel and had made herself a room, as well as her bringing back items from the beach to hang up in his cave. She had even prompted Dwayne to start to do the same and Paul had added his touch with monster movie posters and yellow and red spray paint. Her influence on the boys was encouraging and made him think that the time was right for her to turn. He had begun to leave her alone with one of the boys while he and the others went out to hunt and he’d seen the relationships develop between her and each of the boys, which also gave him confidence in his decision. David had asked Paul to pick up a car until the weather had chilled out, David despised being in a car but he hated riding out in the rain even more and it had been raining steadily for days. That was one thing he liked about being in Santa Carla, about being on the west coast in general, David didn’t do the cold. Paul had come back with a large black Jeep Cherokee and Star had asked David if he would teach her to drive. He was hesitant at first, not wanting her to gain any type of independence from him but he relented, the process proving more frustrating for him then he’d anticipated.

‘We are going to Grapes tonight and then we’ll see how the night goes.’ He told her early on the night of her 17th birthday and she smiled at him.

‘OK.’ She said. He had the feeling she would have gone along with whatever he’d suggested, just as long as she was out with them and not on her own and they got ready and scrambled up the staircase as quickly as they could as to not get wet, but failing by the time they got to the car. David drove them to the club then, skipping the line as usual, they walked into the room full of swirling lights and bodies writhing to the bass booming from the speakers.

‘Drinks, boys.’ David told Paul and Marko and they made their way to the bar while the three of them settled in to a booth. The boys arrived back with a various array of beverages and David picked up a glass and toasted his girlfriend on her birthday, to which all the boys did the same. He wanted to make sure she knew this night was about her and, seeing the delight in her eyes, he knew he had succeeded. She was buzzing. Paul downed a few shots and was up and ready to dance and he took Star’s hand and they were out on the floor in a heartbeat. David was OK with it but he didn’t take his eyes off her, knowing Paul far too well. Marko had gone off to dance with a long haired brunette leaving Dwayne and David alone.

‘You’re going to do it, aren’t you?’ Dwayne asked him, sucking on a cigarette.

‘She’s ready.’ David answered watching her laugh as Paul spun her in and out of his arms. In a different time, Paul had been quite an accomplished dancer before David had found him and although he had changed, he would bring his skills out and use them to pull girls and David was aware of it. ‘Max is on my case over her and I’m not going to let him take her from me.’ He took a sip of his Jack and Coke and it was strong, Paul had made it a double. ‘Once she’s turned, Max will have to accept her. I want her, I want to keep her and she’s going to turn.’ Dwayne contemplated what his brother said, not sure that just because David wanted to keep her was a good enough reason to change her, but it was a good enough reason as any to change someone really. Dwayne knew that David was going to do what he wanted to do, regardless of what anyone thought, even Max apparently. David spied a couple of girls watching him and Dwayne but as soon as Paul returned with Star and David’s attention was diverted, they looked away jealous and disappointed. Paul laid out shots for everyone again, which they all took except for Marko who was busy in the corner of the room with his tongue down some chick’s throat. Dwayne whispered something to Star making her laugh then Paul slammed another empty shot glass down on the table.

‘If you will excuse me, I believe my skills are needed elsewhere.’ He said and he picked up Star’s hand and kissed it. ‘M’lady, thank you for your company but alas, I must depart.’ Paul smiled at Star and David looked over in the direction to where he was headed at a very trendily dressed girl sitting in the middle of her group of friends and he knew he’d lost Paul for a while. Marko appeared at the table with his girl and suddenly Dwayne had a girl sitting with him too but that wasn’t surprising, even being a vampire Dwayne could pull a nun in a church if he wanted to. He was relaxed and contentedly sat back with his arm around his girl and calmly smoked a cigarette then, as he looked around, he noticed Greg and his surf Nazi friends sitting across the room laughing and staring at them. David was surprised he hadn’t picked up on them being here before now, but he realised he’d been too distracted by Star and he wondered if that was part of what Max had warned him about. He nudged Dwayne and they looked over at them their faces still as statues. Marko also picked up on it and looked over.

‘What the fuck are they doing here?’ He said but got no answer from either of his brothers.

‘Who?’ Star asked, looking around.

‘No one.’ David replied and he looked away, not giving them any more attention than they deserved, his desire to tear Greg’s head off peaking. He looked at Star and she looked more than a little half cut and knew it was time to go before she got too hammered and he couldn’t complete what he wanted to.

‘We should go.’ David whispered in her ear. ‘I’m taking her back. Feed and get back there soon.’ He projected in their heads, getting eye contact from Marko and Dwayne and a no look wave from Paul then he stood up and pulled her to her feet, steadying her as she lost her balance. He then led her outside and back to the car.

‘How are we getting home?’ She asked him a bit confused and he knew she was more gone than he thought. Paul and his bloody shots.

‘I’m driving. We will meet the boys back at the Bluff.’ Seeing the look on her face, he reassured her. ‘It’s alright Starlight, they’ll be OK and they won’t be too long.’ They got in the car and he felt her staring at him as he started the car and began to drive.

‘How are you OK to drive when you have had had just as much to drink as I have?’

‘I haven’t, I sat on my Jack and Coke all night.’ He lied, he’d drunk more than enough only alcohol didn’t hit him like it did her or the other boys. Another perk of being an older vampire, always alert other than when he was sleeping. 

‘How are the boys going to get home?’ He liked that she worried about the boys, she was treating them like family and after tonight, they would be her only family forever.

‘Oh, they’ll find a way. We always do.’ He knew exactly how they were getting home, he expected they had already left with their meals and would be back shortly after Star and he had arrived back at the cave. None of them were going to miss Star turning, they knew how important it was to David.

‘Thank you for tonight.’ She said, her head lying on the head rest.

‘The night ain’t over yet my girl.’ He said looking out of the corner of his eyes, the excitement building within him over what he had planned for her next. He parked the car on the top of the cliff and she jumped out almost as soon as he stopped and she walked out to the edge and looked out to sea. He watched her as the lighthouse illuminated her then turned her into a silhouette and she looked like a ghost to him, her skirt and scarf floating in the wind and again he though she was perfect for him. He came up behind her and looked her body over trying not to get too aroused then he placed his arms around her and she leaned back against him. She was utterly comfortable with him and he wondered if he shouldn’t wait for a while, but he could wait forever and the time wouldn’t be any more perfect than what it was right now. ‘Come on, let’s go inside.’ He said and they walked down to the cave entrance, again he had to hold her steady as they walked. He set the scene upon getting into the cave, lighting the barrels and candles and when he returned his attention back to her, he saw her lying on her bed. He strode over to her, lay on top of her and kissed her and she didn’t open her eyes but she returned the kiss. ‘Oh no, as much as I’d like to accompany you to bed, you ain’t going to sleep yet.’ He said and he pulled her up with him and she smiled and staggered over to the couch while he took his overcoat off and sat and had a cigarette. He projected to the boys to hurry up and Marko responded telling him they were on their way and David began to roll a couple of joints. ‘Put some music on.’ He told her.

‘I don’t know what is what.’ She replied, filtering through Paul’s mess.

‘It doesn’t matter.’ He said and she picked one and put it on. The boys piled into the cave shortly after with pizza and David smiled knowing they’d all fed but thought it was a nice touch. They sat and sparked the joints but she declined saying that mixing champagne and pot was not going to end well for her and David laughed, little did she know what else he had in store for her. They boys were all smashed and David knew it was time so he reached behind his chair and bought out his special bottle and he could feel their collective near disbelief that he was actually going to go through with this, as he took the cork out and took a large mouthful of his own blood. In due process, it should have been Max’s or at least a mixture of both their blood but David wanted her for his own with no influence from Max so he’d chosen to turn her with his blood only, he’d never changed someone with just his blood and the prospect excited him. He passed the bottle to Marko while looking intently at her and as soon as Marko took a sip he knew it was different from what he had been turned with and Dwayne and Paul picked up on his reaction. David, however, was again too focussed on Star and Marko’s reaction had slipped beneath his radar. ‘Star, we would like to celebrate tonight in our own way and we’d like you to join us.’ David said. Marko passed the bottle to Paul and Paul didn’t sip it, he skulled it and he instantly knew why Marko had been slightly alarmed. If Max knew David had turned her without his blood, he would lose his shit and it was never a pretty sight when Max was upset. It was Paul’s turn to hope David knew what he was doing, he went to hand the bottle to Dwayne but Dwayne pushed it towards Star.

‘Ladies first.’ They boys joined their gaze with David’s onto Star and they were all genuinely interested in what she was going to do.

‘Be with us Star.’ As soon as he said it, he knew he had her and she raised the bottle to her lips and swallowed and he thought his heart was going to jump out of his throat he was so happy. It was done and she was his forever. Paul hugged her and both Marko and Dwayne kissed her cheek and they all congratulated her and suddenly the party had found its second wind. Paul turned the sounds up and was bouncing around trying to get her to dance with him again and Dwayne was up pushing and laughing at him. David encouraged her to drink more before she was captured by Paul and was being thrown around the cave, a huge smile on her face. A little later, David encompassed her in his arms and kissed her.

‘What is that?’ She asked him about the bottle.

‘It’s my vintage wine. Only for special occasions and for special people. You’re with us forever Starlight. You and I will be together forever now.’ He told her outright. No more lies, there would be nothing kept between them and their lives would be totally intertwined from now on. Dwayne was challenging Paul on his skateboard but Paul wasn’t interested and told him he was jealous he couldn’t dance like he could and he grabbed Star again and was showing off his moves while Marko sat there drinking a beer watching them. ‘It’s going to be fine Marko, snap out of it.’ David said, picking up on his brothers discomfort and Marko just looked at him. Star was being passed between Paul and Dwayne, them both dancing with her, and then she came back to David who gave her more of his blood, his stomach butterflies getting stronger with the more blood she consumed.

‘What is this again?’ She asked him, high as a kite on the stuff. He had never seen someone react to blood like she did, the boys seemed to handle it well but it was like a drug for her.

‘It’s life.’ He whispered to her and Paul came and grabbed her and she was back with the boys. ‘Show her.’ He projected to the boys as he sat in his wheelchair and they looked at him seeing his eyes a rich yellow red and they followed suit, allowing her to see flashes of their true selves as she danced. He watched her sit and look confused as the boys flicked between vampire and human with every glance she took and suddenly she got up, swaying as she walked, and he watched with interest that Marko was the one to get up and help her to her bed. Paul was sharing another smoke with Dwayne and David’s eyes narrowed as he saw Marko say something to her before leaving her on her bed.

’She’s fucked.’ Paul said looking over at her bed.

‘She’s going to be.’ David said making the boys laugh.

‘That wasn’t Max’s blood was it?’ Marko asked David and David slid his eyes to his brother.

‘No.’ David said.

‘Max ain’t gonna be happy.’ Paul said tisking his leader.

‘I don’t give a fuck.’ David said sucking a large toke of the joint. They sat around and talked for a little longer until the boys got the point and left David to it. He went to Star and kissed her, waking her and she smiled lazily at him and he ran his hand up under her top, then under her skirt and she relaxed to his touch. He leaned down and ran his tongue over her nipple, making it hard and making her hand scratch over his shoulder, while his hand searched between her legs and that was enough for him. He unbuckled his pants and pushed between her legs, hovering there as she looked up at him, and he back at her. He was overcome with the power knowing that he had her for life, that she was his and his alone and he just about busted a nut right there. He slipped inside her and kissed her as he began thrusting into her, but somehow he wanted more. He wanted to taste her, he wanted her blood in his mouth as he fucked her and he contemplated biting her but didn’t want to scare her again so he kissed her, sucking on her tongue and he gently sliced his canine into her tongue, her blood spilling into his mouth and he thrusted once more and exploded into her, the orgasm being the strongest he’d had in years. The sun was on the horizon and he knew he had to go out the back to sleep so he draped the sheet over her, leaving her to sleep and went to take his slumber, proud of what he’d accomplished.


	16. Happy Birthday - Star's POV

Over the next week, David and Star spent almost all their time together. Paul had acquired a car from somewhere, she didn’t know where from and she thought it was kind of strange, as the weather had turned sour and David had been teaching her to drive, much to the boys’ amusement. Paul would sit in the back with Dwayne and Marko and mess with her head and lean over and play with the stereo and generally make a nuisance of themselves and Star picked up very quickly that David hated being in a car and his patience was short with both her lack of driving skills and the boys making it even more difficult in teaching her. She’d had the opportunity to talk and spend some time with all the boys separately when David would disappear and leave her with one of the boys every night, he would never leave her on her own but he wouldn’t allow her to accompany him when he went out with the other two. She had, however, managed to find some common ground with both Paul and Dwayne, she struggled a bit with Marko but there seemed to be a mutual respect growing between them once they’d gotten to know each other a bit more, which she appreciated. She had found some vintage cloth from the old hotel stocks and had hung it around her bed for a modicum of privacy and she’d developed a kind of comfort in her space of the cave. While looking for the curtains, she’d found some old rugs, blankets and cushions that she’d brought out to her bed and she’d decorated it well. She’d begun to bring back dried starfish and other trinkets she’d found on the beach which she’d strung up in mobile type arrangements around the place. Dwayne, being artistic, had helped her by bringing back things like large laser discs and other items he’d obtained from the Boardwalk and Paul’s contribution had been to take to the walls with some spray paint, that was about as artistic as Paul got. The weather hadn’t let up all week and David had decided they would go down to Grapes for her birthday to start off with and see where the night took them from there and she was happy with that. She hadn’t celebrated her birthday since her mother had died and she was just grateful to be around people who cared. Regardless of the weather, Grapes was jumping and she was instantly happy to be there, they sat at a booth on the right side of the room while Marko and Paul were dispatched to go and get drinks and they returned with a magnum of champagne, four bottles of beer, a Jack and Coke and a scantily clad girl with test tube shot glasses attached to her large white cowgirl belt and the party began. David picked up one of the champagne flutes and raised it, encouraging everyone else to raise a glass.

‘Happy Birthday Star.’ He said curling his lip as he spoke.

‘Happy Birthday, Girl!’ Paul added and they all clinked glasses. She drank happily, not wanting to offend the boys in their effort to have her enjoy her night. In between Paul drinking shot after shot, he would pull her out onto the dance floor and dance with her, David didn’t but she didn’t expect him to and she didn’t mind. She didn’t need to dance with anybody, the music was enough to have her happy to dance on her own but Paul was blowing her away with his moves. He was a spectacular dancer, like a real talent and she was suitably impressed. No one else approached her tonight as it was obvious she was with the four men and no one dared to intrude on their party but David would always have his eye on her though, watching who she spoke to and what she did. About halfway through the night Dwayne and Marko had a couple of girls hanging off them, she didn’t know who they were but they seemed friendly enough and she was happy to see the boys engaging in some sort of communication other than with themselves. As she sat with David, she looked out into the crowd and saw Paul had girls with him also and everyone seemed happy, it felt like the perfect night to her.

‘What the fuck are they doing here?’ She heard Marko say a little later and she spun her head around to see who he was talking about.

‘Who?’ She asked.

‘No one.’ David told her and in his tone she could sense a change. She had drunk more than she had intended to and she was quite light headed, she had no idea what time it was but she assumed it to be quite late.

‘We should go.’ David said in her ear, reading her mind again. How did he do that? He got up, helping her to her feet and she swayed a bit but he caught her. He then just walked out without saying anything to anyone which she found odd.

‘How are we getting home?’ She asked once they got outside.

‘I’m driving.’ He told her. ‘We will meet the boys back at the Bluff.’ She looked at him confused. ‘It’s alright Starlight, they’ll be OK and they won’t be too long.’ He always knew just what to say to make her feel better and they got into the car. She looked at him as if he had an ethereal quality as he started the car.

‘How are you OK to drive when you have had just as much to drink as I have?’ She asked him.

‘I haven’t, I sat on my Jack and Coke all night.’ He said, his eyes on the road.

‘How are the boys going to get home?’

‘Oh, they’ll find a way. We always do.’ We. He said it like they were all one.

‘Thank you for tonight.’ She said, her head resting on the seat as she watched him.

'The night ain’t over yet my girl.’ He said looking at her sideways and he sped up. They arrived at the cliff top, it had stopped raining and the air was misty and cool. He left the car out in the open and she got out and wandered to the edge of the cliff and looked out over the ocean. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and stood there for a moment. ‘Come on, let’s go inside.’ He led her down the stairs, holding her as she was a little unsteady on her feet. He lit the barrels and went around lighting the millions of candles around the cave that she loved while she took her jacket off and lay on her bed, she could have gone to sleep but he came and lay on top of her and kissed her. ‘Oh no, as much as I’d like to accompany you to bed, you ain’t going to sleep yet.’ He pulled her to her feet and over to the couch telling her to put some music on, which she did, while he lit a cigarette and rolled a couple of joints. She’d found a tape of Paul’s and placed it in the boom box and when the boys all clambered down the cave entrance about a half an hour later, Paul approving of her choice of sounds by doing some air guitar as he jumped into the room. Marko had brought back some pizza but none of the boys seemed too interested in it, even after they had all sat around and smoked the joints. David sat in his chair while she sat on the couch with Paul sitting on the arm of the couch on one side of her and Dwayne sitting on the couch seat next to her. Marko was sitting on the adjacent couch and they were all happy and relaxed when David reached behind his chair and lifted the bejewelled bottle again. It made everyone stop and look at him as he popped the cork out and took a large swig of the contents then he handed the bottle to Marko, who also took a swig.

‘Star, we would like to celebrate tonight in our own way and we’d like you to join us.’ She looked at David as Marko passed the bottle to Paul, not quite understanding what he was saying, she thought she had already joined them. Paul took his fill and went to offer it to Dwayne.

‘Ladies first.’ Dwayne said and Paul handed it to Star. She looked at the bottle, she knew she’d had enough to drink and she contemplated declining but instantly she felt the peer pressure coming from all of the boys and suddenly she felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room.

‘Be with us Star.’ David’s voice enveloped her and she looked at him and felt compelled to do what he wanted her to do. She took the bottle from Paul and she felt all of their eyes on her as she brought the bottle up to her lips, the liquid tasted salty and warm and was thick like a syrup and she knew it wasn’t wine. Was it a type of Port? It tasted tangy and metallic and the taste lingered in her mouth as she handed the bottle to Dwayne. She then saw them all smiling at her, no one more than David, and the atmosphere in the room had exploded to one of celebration and excitement but she didn’t know what had changed. They were all hugging and kissing her in congratulations and she was confused.

‘What is that?’ She asked David when he took her in his arms and kissed her.

‘It’s my vintage wine. Only for special occasions and for special people. You’re with us forever Starlight. You and I will be together forever now.’ He said it like it meant something but she felt like she didn’t know what exactly. Her drinking his wine seemed to change something and make it somewhat more permanent, like they were celebrating a marriage or something. She looked at David and he was beaming, like a father proud of his new child and unable to get the smile off his face. Paul seemed equally as pleased, bouncing around wanting her to dance with him again and Dwayne maintained his usual reserved persona all be it happy that she had joined them like David wanted. Marko however grabbed a drink and sat back and pensively watched her. He appeared neither happy nor sad, more intrigued at what had just transpired and, although he’d congratulated her in the same manner as the rest of them, he was almost sitting back and waiting to see what would happen next and she didn’t know why. David encouraged her to drink more which she did enjoying his growing happiness with every bitter mouthful and soon her head was positively swimming, this stuff was strong.

‘What is this again?’ She asked him after her fourth or fifth sip.

‘It’s life.’ He whispered in her ear and she smiled, she had never seen him this animated and it made her happy. Soon she was literally spinning from Paul to Dwayne again and back to David as the music blared. She felt like she was floating and soon it became all too much for her and she had to sit down, she couldn’t see straight and as she looked around the room, she began to think she was hallucinating again. She was seeing their eyes changing colours and there was something about them that was different. She got up and stumbled as she attempted to walk to her bed and suddenly Marko was there helping her.

‘Thank you.’ She was slurring her words.

‘You’ve done it now, you will never escape. I hope you’re prepared.’ He said as he took her to her bed and walked away. She lay there running her tongue over her teeth, analysing the strange iron taste and thinking about what Marko had just said. 'You will never escape.' Why would she want to? Escape from what? What did he know that she didn’t? She must have dozed off a little because the next thing she knew, she felt lips on hers and she opened her eyes to see David leaning over her and she smiled up at him, feeling his hand slide up under her top and expose her breasts. She closed her eyes again as his hand then made its way up her inner thigh and she manoeuvred herself to fit in beneath him better. She felt the tip of his tongue slick across her nipple and she let out a small moan and spread her legs a little further apart. She heard him undo his buckle and slide in between her legs and she opened her eyes, he was on the verge of entering her but he stopped and looked deep into her eyes. Once again, she felt hypnotized by his crystal blue orbs, almost like she was sinking, and she began to feel numb but she couldn’t work out why he had this effect on her. He then plunged deep inside her and she closed her eyes in pleasure before his mouth found hers again and his thrusts became more regular. She felt a sharp pain on her tongue but she was so involved in the act that she didn’t react to it, knowing he could get a little carried away and knowing he was close to climaxing. Once they were both spent, she felt him get off her and her eyes grew heavy, so heavy that she felt like she had weights on her eyelids and she couldn’t stay awake. She’d had far too much to drink and she decided she wasn’t going to drink that stuff again, David’s wine, it was too much for her. She became aware that the music had gone, the room was quiet and the boys had gone, including David, and she strained to open her eyes to see where he was. Seeing no sign of him, she had a brief knot in her stomach over the fact he wasn’t sleeping next to her but that was taken over by her tiredness and sleep took her like it had never taken her before.


	17. I Know You Are But What Am I? - David's POV

Having her turn was different to him than his boys had been, they had both Max’s and his blood but she only had his and that made all the difference. David felt like he had a new lease on life now Star was a half, he wanted to go out and he wanted to immerse her new senses in the life of the Boardwalk and he was excited to watch her experience it all. He told everyone to get ready only, looking over at her, he saw she was struggling but he ignored it and they went to the Boardwalk. She lumbered behind them quietly, looking rather miserable and it was ruining his buzz.

‘What’s wrong with you?’ He asked her.

‘I don’t feel well.’ She said, nursing her head.

‘Do you want something to eat?’ He wanted her to snap out of it.

‘No,’ she said looking sick, ‘I kinda want to go back to the cave.’ He studied her, annoyed she was spoiling his night.

‘No.’ He wasn’t going to let her.

‘Please David, I feel like I might be sick. This is why I don’t drink.’ Fucking Paul and his shots. ‘You guys can stay here, I’ll go back on my own.’

‘No. You’ll go when we go.’ He told her and he kept walking, she was part of his pack now and she would learn to fall in line. He and his boys continued to do as they pleased and took her along for the ride, whether she liked it or not, which by the look of it was not. He took her back to the cave when he was ready and she went straight to sleep. ‘No more fucking shots Paul.’ David spat and Paul gave him the thumbs up. David would try again tomorrow and the next night and the night after that, if that’s what it took and that’s exactly what he did, and he didn’t have to wait long for her to start to react. Over the next few nights, her eyes began to light up at the lights and colours on the Boardwalk and she looked at them as though she’d never seen them before. He took her down to the water’s edge and observed her listening to the lapping waves and showed her the intricacies of the moon, enjoying her amazement at every little thing. Her head was turning at every sound and she was smiling from ear to ear until her need for blood became apparent. It had taken two weeks but her consumption of food had rapidly decreased and she’d been complaining of pain in her stomach and he knew what her problem was. They were all sitting around a bonfire on the beach and she was hunched up uncomfortably in a ball next to him. Paul looked from her and up to David and he discarded his initial thought to try comfort her once he saw David’s expression.

‘Can you take me to a doctor? I think there’s something wrong with me.’ He looked at Dwayne as she spoke and Dwayne knew what he was going to do.

‘There’s nothing wrong with you Star, you just need to feed.’ He took a last drag on his cigarette and threw it in the fire, looking over at Marko, who looked like he was enjoying her discomfort.

‘No David, I have been feeling like this for days and there’s something wrong with me. I’m not hungry, I need a doctor.’ She groaned.

‘Boys, it’s time.’ He told them it was time to show her but he didn’t want them to show her in their usual way, a more subtle subdued approach was needed here. ‘You’re changing. You’re becoming one of us and you just need to complete the transition.’ He explained to her as he watched the twigs and small branches snap and pop in the flames.

‘Changing into what? I feel like shit.’

‘You need blood, Star.’ He said and he glanced down at her and saw the confusion in her eyes.

‘Blood? David, what are you talking about?’ She sat up more, as if that would help her understand his words.

‘Blood. You need to drink blood Star, you are becoming a vampire.’ He said and they all watched her reaction closely.

‘What?’ She said like she hadn’t heard him properly but he knew she had and he watched her look to the boys for an explanation and she got one that she wasn’t expecting. He saw her eyes widen and her jaw drop at what she saw, despite the boys just sitting there, and she looked back at David to see he had changed also. He sat there serenely looking at her.

‘What the fuck?’ She said, obviously scared, and she tried to slide backwards in the sand.

‘Star relax, we’re not going to hurt you.’ He told her but she was barely listening.

‘What the fuck?!’ She stood up and so did he. ‘What the fuck are you guys?!’ He went to grab her hand but she spun out of his grasp. ‘No! Don’t you touch me! All of you stay away from me!’ She was spinning and he was going to have to calm her down and control her. She backed away from them and he could see her beginning to shake. ‘I don’t know what the fuck is going on here but I am fucking out of here!’ She turned to bolt and Marko stopped her with Dwayne at his side then she pulled her skirt up and ran straight into Paul, who had jumped up and dropped out of the black sky in front of her. David had watched it all unfold and the boys’ subterfuge of her didn’t seem to be helping.

‘Calm down girl.’ Paul told her and she screamed. David couldn’t afford to let her draw any more attention to them than she already had so he stepped in, grabbing her and shooting straight up into the sky, then he flew with her back up to the cliff top, before landing softly on the earth. Judging by the look on her face, she was now in a solid state of shock. He knew she wouldn’t run now and she would actually listen to him.

‘We are vampires Star, and once you make your first kill, you will be one too. As I said to you last night, you are with us forever now.’ He reached up, stroking her cheek, and she flinched and pulled back at his touch. ‘You and I will be together forever.’ She turned her head away from him and his annoyed superiority returned. ‘It’s too late Star, you’re mine and as long as you do as I say, I will give you the world.’ She had no idea what he’d given her, the gift he’d offered to her but it wouldn’t take long for her to realise the magic they possessed and for it to take over.

‘David, I don’t want…’ Ugh, that was the last thing he wanted to hear right now, it was going to grate on him if he had to listen to that.

‘I don’t want to hear ‘I don’t want’ from you.’ His frustration becoming apparent. ‘You will have and do what I want you to.’ He’d said it so forcefully that he’d scared her and made her start to cry which annoyed him even more. He called for Paul, wanting him here with him. ‘And you have to kill or the pain will become unbearable. You have no choice now.’

‘I can’t kill anyone!’ She shrieked.

‘Oh, you can and you will.’ He said as Paul arrived, making her just about jump out of her skin. ‘You belong with us now and you will do as I say always. Now, go down into the cave with Paul and stay there.’ He demanded and he took off back to the Boardwalk beach so he could collect his bike.

‘Fuck,’ David said pulling out a cigarette as he dropped onto the sand and met up with the other boys. ‘This is going to be harder than I thought.’ He muttered as they made their way back to the carpark.

‘Early days.’ Dwayne said, managing to calm his brother with just two words. Dwayne had been with David the longest and knew him best. ‘You knew she was going to be different. She’ll come around once you show her the positives, she has no choice.’ He added and David smiled, knowing he was right, it would just take time and lucky for him, he had all the time in the world. The pain and her desire for blood would get her, it gets everyone it touches, it’s inevitable and she would succumb like the rest of them. He wanted her so badly and had so much riding on her falling in line that he was impatient and wanted immediate gratification. They walked to get their bikes and when they got there, Greg and his mates were standing around next to them.

‘Where’s your bitch? She left you already?’ Greg’s mates all laughed at him and David nearly reacted, he nearly flew towards him and smacked Greg’s face clear off his skull but he didn’t. There were too many people around and David didn’t have the time, he definitely had the inclination but he had to get back to the cave. His comment, however, confirmed it, that fucker was going to die. Sooner or later, David would scorch Greg’s body to ashes after ripping his spleen out. He got on his bike saying nothing and revved it hard making Greg and his girlfriend Shelly jump back as he took off. David couldn’t afford to let Greg fuck with his head right now so he shook it off, knowing Greg and his surfy assholes would keep, and he rode as fast as he could back to the Bluff.

‘Go and get your bike before Greg fucks with it.’ David told Paul walking into the cave and Paul’s eyes shot up.

‘What? He’s near my bike?’ Paul looked alarmed and the boys laughed at him, knowing how, other than his pot, Paul viewed his bike as his prized possession, and he shot out of the cave. David walked to Star’s bed and sat next to her and noticing she had a joint, he reached over and took it from her delicate fingers and smoked it. She shied away from him and although her movement was small, it stung him more than he cared to admit.

‘Don’t be like that. You’re still my girl and I’m still going to want to be near you and touch you.’ He held her chin and softly kissed her and when she didn’t respond, he roughly grabbed her kissed her hard, forcing himself on her and asserting his domination of her. ‘You didn’t mind last night.’ He said in a low voice and quietly chuckled at her and she looked him over with a stony expression, to which he responded seriously. ‘Get over it Star, you will be just like us soon. Settle in for the ride.’ He got up and walked back over to the boys leaving her on her bed.


	18. I Know You Are But What Am I? - Star's POV

She awoke the next morning with an almighty hangover and she really didn’t want to go out anywhere but David made her leave with them. They took the bikes as the rain had ceased and the roar of David’s engine did nothing to help her throbbing head. The boys headed off towards the stage as if they hadn’t drunk anything last night and she trailed behind them as if she might vomit at any minute. The smells wafting from the food stalls seemed stronger somehow and the lights seemed brighter and the music crisper and louder and they all combined to make her feel worse. She really wasn’t in the mood to be at the fairgrounds, let alone in the mood to party again and that’s all these boys seemed to want to do, hang out and party. Again, she came back to her question of how they maintained their lifestyle with no income.

‘What’s wrong with you?’ David asked her, his eyebrows creased.

‘I don’t feel well.’ She replied her hand going to her head.

‘Do you want something to eat?’

‘No, I kinda want to go back to the cave.’ He looked at her, a flash of annoyance crossing his face.

‘No.’ He flatly told her.

‘Please David, I feel like I might be sick. This is why I don’t drink. You guys can stay here, I’ll go back on my own.’ She had no idea how she’d get back there on her own but inside she was hoping he would relent and take her.

‘No,’ he repeated, ‘you’ll go when we go.’ David walked on ahead of her and she touched her stomach, a painful stabbing feeling developing there. David dragged her through the Boardwalk until about an hour before it closed and then they all went back to the cave. They proceeded to repeat the ritual every night for the next week and once she’d gotten over the hangover, she enjoyed it. The pain had subsided and her clarity of sound and vision had intensified, it was like she was seeing through crystal eyes and she had supersonic hearing and she didn’t know what was going on, but she didn’t dare mention it to David for fear of him thinking she was crazy. Then one night the pain returned and for the next two nights she was feeling like death warmed up again.

‘Can you take me to a doctor?’ She finally asked him as they all sat around on the beach around a bonfire. ‘I think there’s something wrong with me.’ David responded to her in a way she weren’t expecting.

‘There’s nothing wrong with you Star, you just need to feed.’ And with that one comment, something changed in the air and she saw he had everyone’s attention.

‘No David, I have been feeling like this for days and there’s something wrong with me.’ She was wrapped in her shawl all curled up in a ball. ‘I’m not hungry, I need a doctor.’ Granted, she hadn’t eaten properly since her birthday but every time she tried to eat, she found she couldn’t.

‘Boys, it’s time.’ She heard him say to them not knowing what he was talking about or understanding what it was time for. ‘You’re changing. You’re becoming one of us and you just need to complete the transition.’ She looked up at him and he was staring into the fire.

‘Changing into what? I feel like shit.’ She admitted.

‘You need blood Star.’ His words caught her and she looked at him harder and she saw his blue eyes look down on her.

‘Blood? David, what are you talking about?’ She awkwardly tried to sit up.

‘Blood. You need to drink blood Star, you are becoming a vampire.’ He said it as if he was telling her if the moon was out or not. Totally emotionless.

‘What?’ She screwed her face up. What was he talking about a vampire? She looked over to Dwayne to see the expression on his face and stared straight into his supernatural eyes and her face dropped, she then quickly looked at Paul and Marko and saw the same features on them. They all sat perfectly still as if nothing was happening.

‘What the fuck?’ She looked at David and his features were even more pronounced. They were angular and pale and very wrong and she began backing up, the pain in her stomach suddenly becoming a secondary concern.

‘Star relax, we’re not going to hurt you.’ David said calmly.

‘What the fuck?!’ She jumped up and backed away. ‘What the fuck are you guys?!’ She shrieked and David stood up and reached out for her. ‘No! Don’t you touch me! All of you stay away from me!’ She walked backwards away from the bonfire. ‘I don’t know what the fuck is going on here but and I am fucking out of here!’ She said and she turned to get away when Marko shot up and blocked her path with Dwayne appearing beside him, and she took off running to her left and she ran straight into Paul. How did he get there so fast?

‘Calm down girl.’ He said, his sharp teeth glinting in the darkness and she screamed. Suddenly she was grabbed and her stomach dropped out as her feet left the ground and she rocketed straight up and flew very fast through the cold air. She couldn’t even comprehend what was happening until she was placed on the ground at the top of Hudson’s Bluff and David was standing before her. She was breathing heavily, trying not to pass out while also trying to get a grip on her situation.

‘We are vampires Star, and once you make your first kill, you will be one too. As I said to you last night, you are with us forever now.’ He ran his fingers along her cheek and she cringed. ‘You and I will be together forever.’ He said and she pulled her head away from his touch. He was telling the truth and it all began to fall into place for her; being up all night and sleeping all day, no jobs, no need for money, living in a cave that ‘suited them,’ flying through the air and him insisting they’d be together forever. Oh God, they were vampires! Monsters, blood suckers, and he wanted her to be one too. She felt like she was living in a horror movie, only one she couldn’t escape from and it was then Marko’s words came back to her, only she now understood them. It must have been the night of her birthday when she drunk his wine, David’s wine. It wasn’t wine, it was blood. She had drunk David’s blood, she knew there had been something wrong with that stuff. What did he say is was? Life? It felt more like death to her. Her stomach churned with the realisation and she felt dizzy and sick. ‘It’s too late Star, you’re mine and as long as you do as I say, I will give you the world.’ She stood there staring at him terrified and thinking he was crazy.

‘David, I don’t want…’ She shook her head but abruptly stopped and stared at him when he harshly cut her off.

‘I don’t want to hear ‘I don’t want’ from you.’ He glared at her. ‘You will have and do what I want you to.’ With her hands shaking, she began to cry. ‘And you have to kill or the pain will become unbearable. You have no choice now.’

‘I can’t kill anyone!’ She cried, panic firmly setting in.

‘Oh, you can and you will.’ He told her and she jumped in shock when Paul dropped out of the sky behind her. ‘You belong with us now and you will do as I say always. Now, go down into the cave with Paul and stay there.’ He said and he took off into the darkness. Her legs were so weak, she struggled to walk down the staircase then, by the time she made it into the cave, she was definiately going into shock. She went straight to her bed and sat down trying to get herself together. She then stood and began to collect up her stuff when Paul went to her.

‘Stop! Don’t come near me!’ She screamed.

‘Star, you’re not going anywhere.’ He stood in her way.

‘I am not staying here!’ She told him defiantly.

‘And where are you going to go?’ He challenged her. ‘You have nowhere to go now and if you leave, he will kill you. He will not be kind or quick about it either. He has taken a massive chance with you and he will see it as the ultimate betrayal should you defy him. I can’t let you do that.’ He warned her and she dropped her bag on the bed and began to hyperventilate. ‘Like he said, just do as he says and you will be OK.’ She put her hands on her knees and put her head down, feeling faint. ‘And breathe before you die on me. David won’t be happy if you die.’ She sat on her bed and Paul walked away. She couldn’t believe it. Vampires? They’re not real, yet here she was in a cave with one of them. Oh God, and she’d had sex with one of them. And drunk the blood of one of them. She tried to centre herself but found she couldn’t, until Paul came and handed her a smoke. ‘Here, this will help you. And stop crying, remember what I told you about David and crying…’ She took the smoke and lit it with his lighter, handing it back to him, the calming effect hitting her after the third inhale. Her hands had stopped shaking and her breathing had become stable and regulated and it actually helped her nagging stomach pain too, and she sat on the bed in her numbed state and thought about what she knew about vampires. She knew they drank blood, they lived forever, they slept in coffins, they didn’t like crosses or garlic, and they could be killed by holy water, a wooden stake to the heart and sunlight. Oh no, sunlight. She would never feel the warmth of the summer sun on her face again. Just as the reality of that thought hit her, the rest of the boys came back down into the cave and her body went rigid and she heard David tell Paul to go and get his bike and she prayed they would leave her alone. She heard them talking about something and laughing before David came and sat on her bed next to her, instantly taking the joint out of her hand and smoking it like nothing had happened. She had Paul’s advice ringing in her head but she still cringed at David being so close to her and he quickly picked up on it.

‘Don’t be like that. You’re still my girl and I’m still going to be near you and touch you.’ He held her chin, turning her face to him and kissed her and she froze to his touch, her eyes wide and staring at him in fear. He then grabbed her chin hard with his whole hand and he kissed her much harder, forcing his tongue into her mouth and she felt disgusted. ‘You didn’t mind last night.’ His deep voice dug into her and she looked at him, his blue eyes were sparkling and alive. She still found him highly attractive, only now he was like the ultimate bad boy, but she was still shocked and frightened and she looked at him coldly, making his facial expression change. ‘Get over it Star, you will be just like us soon. Settle in for the ride.’ He got up and walked back over to the boys and she sat there desperately trying not to cry again.


	19. Tell Tale - David's POV

David found Star totally withdrew in the days following the revelation, which frustrated him at first, but he reflected on what Dwayne had said to him and he began to slowly show her the silver linings of being a vampire. He took her with him and showed her some of the beautiful views only he and his kind could see and got her used to the sensation of flight and, once her fear had dissipated, she grew to love it. He spent time, like he did before, with her on the Boardwalk only now he pointed things out to her that she had never been able to notice before and he enjoyed her innocent reactions to such things. He showed her how they got everything for free through compulsion and manipulation and she laughed at the ease at which he did it. He walked around getting clothing and jewellery and chocolates and whatever else she desired just by asking for it and the smile grew on her face with every new item. He showed her their speed and strength and she was suitably impressed with each new discovery and he knew that he was bringing her back around to him again. He took her back to his favourite spot out by the tracks, and he let her experience the place the way he did, as an immortal, and he watched her as she picked up on all the sounds around her and he assessed her development towards becoming used to being a vampire and he was pleased with her progress.

‘Do you like being out here now?’ He asked leaning against a tree trunk.

‘I love it! I had no idea of the life that existed out here, the sounds of the owls and the crickets and the depth of the shadows caused by a full moon.’ She said, her eyes lit up like torches. He could see was enjoying the transition now, despite her initial apprehension, and he thought it was time for her to understand the complexities of his communication abilities.

‘It only gets better.’ He mentally projected to her and she spun around and looked at him.

‘What did you say?’

‘It only gets better.’ He repeated, his voice echoing in her head.

‘Oh my God! How did you…?’ She asked and he curled his lip at her expression.

‘We can communicate mentally together. Once you have turned, you will be able to call for me or the boys if you need us or are in trouble. But because I have sired you, I can talk to you now.’ He made it sound like it was just for emergencies and didn’t tell her that he would be tracking her via that medium from now on. 

‘So, you’re going to let me out without you?’ She asked him and he picked up on her underlying tone. She was a half now and he could lay off her a little now. He still wasn’t comfortable with the idea but he could try. He smiled at her and kissed her.

‘You can go out alone as long as you come back to me when I call for you.’ He told her straight and she nodded. He looked at her hard and he decided she was tied up tight now and he was going to have to trust her eventually. Either he or one of his boys would keep an eye on her but he would allow her to roam the Boardwalk alone should she wish. The night after, they went down to the Boardwalk and they parked their bikes up outside the entrance and Paul and Marko jumped up and sat on the wall while David got off his bike and leaned against it next to Dwayne and they watched her walk away into the crowd. David had to control the nervous tightening in his stomach then he told the boys to follow him and they headed into the same crowd.

‘You’re going to leave her on her own?’ Paul asked him, surprised David was actually going to do it.

‘Oh Paul, you know me better than that. Marko, follow her.’ Paul laughed and Marko shot him a filthy look, this wasn’t exactly what Marko wanted to do with his evening but he did as he was told and took off after her while David and the boys kept walking. He stalked the Boardwalk with almost a sense of freedom without her, he had spent so much time with her and focussing on her for the last few months that to just hang with his boys and do what they used to do felt good to him. He felt comfortable knowing she was now a part of him and he felt like he could go back to his version of normality. They fed early on some run away kids and he loved the surge of adrenalin he got with the brutality that he used in his kill, the boys all picking up on it and matching him in his game. They cleaned up and stayed down near the pier to stay away from the crowds on the Boardwalk, and they hung out near a group of girls and watched them dance and frolic around in the shallow waves under the moonlight, wearing next to nothing. One of them bent over and flashed them her ass and Dwayne wolf whistled, making them all turn around and look at them.

‘What else you gonna show us?’ Paul called out to them and the girls giggled together and one of them flashed her boobs prompting Paul to jump up.

‘What’s she doing?’ David projected to Marko.

‘She’s dancing down by the Bandstand.’ He replied.

‘Has she spoken to anyone?’

‘Nah man, she ain’t done nothing. She’s dancing around in her own little world. She’s going to be fine. Can I ditch this now?’ David looked over at Paul and he had one of them over his shoulder and Dwayne had one under his arm and they were both ready to disappear with them, leaving David alone with the last one.

‘Go and feed and we’ll see you back at the bikes in a couple of hours.’ He said, the third girl walking towards him. He looked her over and she was a sexy young thing, maybe a bit older than Star, with dark red hair and he found himself getting turned on. Star hadn’t been welcoming to his advances the past few days leaving him more than a tad frustrated and this girl was just laying it out there for him. It didn’t take him long to make his decision and he took her and had his way with her. The sex was great but he could sense she would be a cling on if given half a chance and that was the last thing he needed. As he’d already fed, he made quick work in snapping her neck and dumping her far out to sea, meeting up with the other two afterwards, who had done the same with their girls, and they walked to meet Marko. David was feeling much more relaxed and content and he was ready to leave.

‘Star, come on. We’re leaving.’ He called for her and waited impatiently for her to arrive. ‘Where was she when you left her?’ He asked Marko.

‘Still down at the Bandstand.’ Marko said then, within ten minutes, she came out of the crowd and climbed on his bike behind him and they rode back to the cave. She was happy and David felt like things were going in the right direction, he knew he had a decent hold on her and he figured he’d manage to turn her without too much trouble. He didn’t know what Max’s problem was.

Star had been very quiet before they went back to the Boardwalk the following night and David knew something was up. He had picked up that she was thinking about the reality of killing and he guessed her thirst was pulling at her and he smiled, it wouldn’t be long now. He had to put her out of his head for the moment though as Max had demanded David meet with him so David left her with the boys on the Boardwalk and went to Max’s video store. Walking in he found the new attendant behind the counter alone.

‘Hi,’ she said cheerily, ‘how can I help you?’

‘Is Max around?’ He asked her, getting a good look at her for the first time. She was pretty but she paled in comparison to Star.

‘He’s not here yet.’ She said smiling and David sighed as Max walked in behind him.

‘Out the back.’ Max ordered and David followed him.

‘She’ll do.’ David said smiling, baiting Max.

‘Stay away from her.’ Max shut him down. ‘But speaking of girls, how’s Star? Has she turned yet?’

‘Not yet.’ David said, not wanting to divulge any more information than he had to and Max smirked at him, putting his bag down just inside the back door. ‘What do you want Max?’ David asked, looking at Max with measured disdain. David was tired of being Max’s lackey but he knew his place and knew he had no choice but to do as he was asked. For now.

‘Raoul McIntosh.’

‘Who?’ David asked.

‘He’s the building consent manager for the council.’ Max told him.

‘So?’ David asked impatiently.

‘I need you to kill him.’

‘Why don’t you do it?’ David challenged him, and his tone annoyed Max.

‘Because I’m doing business with him and I can’t be implicated in anything right now. I’m set to make a lot of money and I’m not having this power tripper get in my way.’ Max explained. ‘And I’m telling you to.’ David looked up at Max and saw he was serious. ‘I want it done David. Soon.’ David nodded and turned to leave. ‘Oh, and I hear you’ve been giving Greg Merlo a hard time? Leave him alone.’

‘The guy is a …’ David spun on his heel and started to respond but Max interrupted him.

'Lay off him David, you’re drawing attention. We don’t need it.’ Max told him in no uncertain terms and he walked inside. David was frustrated, he swore to himself that this would be the last time he’d do anything for Max but he knew it wouldn’t be. He lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply as he slowly walked around the building back to his bike. Raoul McIntosh. He didn’t even know what Raoul McIntosh looked like. He was going to have to track him over the next couple of nights. For fucks sake.

‘David, you better get back here.’ Dwayne’s voice broke into his consciousness. ‘She’s down on the beach talking to a cop.’

‘She’s what?’ David took one last breath and flicked his cigarette on the ground. ‘Where on the beach?’

‘Down near Pier 2.’ Pier 2? What is she doing down there?

‘Don’t let her leave.’ David gunned his bike and screamed off towards the other side of the Boardwalk. Fuck. What the fuck is she doing talking to a cop? He pulled up at the end of the side street leading out towards Pier 2 and he walked carefully out onto the sand. He saw her and the cop talking and he watched them as he walked towards them slowly. David sensed the other three boys around him but they were out of sight.

‘OK, I think we need to go to the station and make a formal report.’ David heard the cop say and they both turned in his direction and halted when they saw him in their path.

‘That’s him.’ Star said and David saw her react and hold on to the cop, moving behind him.

‘What are you doing Star?’ David asked her, his compelling undertones lacing his words, and she let go of the cops arm staring at him.

‘You need to come with me.’ The cop said, beginning to get out his handcuffs. The cop was young and inexperienced and David knew he would be no problem for him. Suddenly Paul, Dwayne and Marko came out of the darkness and surrounded them and the cop looked around and pulled out his radio to call for backup but Paul smacked it out of his hand. ‘I’m taking you all in for questioning regarding some murders in San Francisco.’ The cop said, looking more nervous and unsure of himself the closer David walked towards him and David looked from the cop to Star and he saw her shrink away from his gaze.

‘Who died?’ David asked in an austere tone, slightly tilting his head in a condescending motion.

‘Jason Richmond, Nick Richmond and Toni Stadler.’ So, she’d told him they’d killed had she? Now he was pissed and it was time he showed her the true extent of what he could do. David simultaneously morphed into his alter ego and grabbed the cop and threw him to Paul.

‘You telling people about us? About what we do?’ He asked Star sarcastically. ‘Well, best we show you exactly what we can do.’ His words were full of venom. ‘Paul, take him to Panther Beach.’ He said and Paul and Marko took off, dragging the cop with them. Dwayne stood behind Star and David grabbed her roughly.

‘I told you not to fuck with me. You wanna play girl? Let’s play.’ He took off after the boys towards the other beach. She was going to find out exactly who he could be when provoked.


	20. Tell Tale - Star's POV

Star had pulled right away from David since being told their secret, she’d pulled away from all of them, but especially him. What was she supposed to do? They were vampires who killed people and drank their blood and she struggled to accept that fact nor could she get the image of them in their vampire forms out of her head. David was still bringing her flowers and had tried to involve her in their outings but she remained reserved and somewhat detached. Even though he’d always maintained that they would never hurt her, how could she trust that knowing now what she knew to be true? David had told her that if he was going to kill her, he would have done it already and not bothered in turning her which had a sense of truth to it but David had been angry when he’d said it and she could tell he had been losing patience with her. Recently he’d changed and he began showing her the positives of being a vampire, he showed her things she had no idea of, things she never would have even thought of and she slowly began to see his world through his eyes, and she saw beauty in it. There were sparkles of light in the raindrops and iridescent colours in the feathers of birds that she’d never been able to see, and the magic he possessed was reflecting back in her eyes. He taught her how to fly, taking her to some of his favourite vantage points in California and she found she couldn’t get enough, she loved soaring high with him and would hold on tight and tell him to go faster. He also taught her the art of compulsion which mesmerized her and helped her understand the ease in which they acquired things without money. She had been beginning to think they just stole everything they got, and she still wasn’t convinced that wasn’t what they were doing half the time, but the way in which David showed her had her captivated. He did it with a grace and elegance that made the poor people putty in his hands and she found she was feeling more comfortable with the monster within him and intrigued by the abilities he possessed.

**0o0**

‘Do you like being out here now?’ He asked her as she sat on the large boulder out near the railway tracks over the gorge.

‘I love it! I had no idea of the life that existed out here, the sounds of the owls and the crickets, and the depth of the shadows caused by the full moon.’ She was genuinely enchanted with his favourite spot now. The first time he bought her here, she had thought it was strange and eerie but now she found it magical and alive and she didn’t want to leave.

‘It only gets better.’ She heard his voice in her head and almost gave herself whiplash flicking her head around to look at him.

‘What did you say?’ She asked him and he smirked his sexy smile at her.

‘It only gets better.’ She jumped up at the foreign sound in her head and her heart beat faster.

‘Oh my God!’ She said realising his mouth hadn’t moved yet she was hearing him. ‘How did you…?’

‘We can communicate mentally together. Once you have turned, you will be able to call for me, or the boys, if you need us or are in trouble. But because I have sired you, I can talk to you now.’ She stood there staring at him in disbelief. Telepathic communication? This explained why they seemed to know what each other was thinking and they seemed to have awkward silences. There weren’t actually silences and it wasn’t awkward to anyone but her. They’d been talking all along and he head was spinning.

‘So, you’re going to let me out without you?’ She asked raising her eyebrow. He smiled and moved towards her and kissed her.

‘You can go out alone as long as you come back to me when I call for you.’ He sounded like he was allowing a child out as long as they followed his rules but she would take it and she smiled and nodded at him. She longed to be alone for a bit and to process everything she had been through, she hadn’t been alone in months and, as good as the boys could be to her, she needed some alone time and to not be constantly watched and scrutinized by them.

She woke up the next night and the pain in her stomach was back, and what she had to do in order to make it go away made her feel even sicker. David took her back to the Boardwalk and told everyone he had some ‘business’ to take care of and he left. She wondered if that ‘business’ involved killing but she didn’t ask him and she walked away from the boys, towards the beach, as the Boardwalk was unappealing to her tonight with the way she was feeling. She needed some peace to try and centre herself and she was glad David was busy and the boys were leaving her alone. She walked along the shoreline, away from the people and the flashing lights of the rides and the noise of the band and she enjoyed the quiet but it made her longing for sustenance more prominent and she began to think she wasn’t going to be able to contain it for long. The thought of drinking blood both had her mouth watering and disgusted her at the same time and she struggled to imagine a scenario where she would actually be OK with killing someone. I mean, how did that even happen? She sat down on the sand and ran her hand through the grains and felt they were still warm from the day. She was filled with a sadness that she would never again feel the warmth of the sun on her face and she tried to remember the last time she had been in the sun and it had been when she had watched the sunset after she’d tried to call Tee’s mom. She’d promised to call her back and she never did, she missed Tee and she wished she was here so she could talk to her. Then it hit her like a freight train, she couldn’t believe it had taken her so long to finally join the dots. Her initial instincts had told her what was true in the very beginning but the boys had lied to her and David had distracted her with the tricks of his trade, so much so, that she had been blind to what was staring her directly in the face. Oh David was good, very good and very dangerous. Tee, her dad and her brother were all dead after she had met a gang of vampires. How hard was it? She knew it, she’d known it after the concert, she’d known it after she’d been told they were dead and she, sure as fuck, knew it now. She couldn’t be like them and kill anyone and she couldn’t go back to them and be with them knowing what they’d done. David’s magic was an illusion and behind the mask was a killer and she needed help. She was really scared now. If David had killed her friend and family and thought nothing of it so easily, he’d definitely kill her without hesitation, just like Paul had said he would. She had to get out of here, she had to escape and get to the Police and she knew now was her chance. She stood up and walked towards the next pier along the beach and her fear grew, like she was being stalked with every step she took even though she had no idea where the boys were or when David would be back. She walked faster, not really knowing where to but then she saw an officer on the other side of the pier questioning some kids. She quickly approached him and he turned to tell her he was busy but, after looking at her, he decided against it and he paid her attention.

‘Are you alright?’ He asked her.

‘Umm…’ She looked around nervously. ‘I need your help.’

‘OK, what’s going on?’ As the cop’s attention was diverted, the kids he had been questioning took off. ‘What’s your name?’

‘Star, my name is Star. Ahh… I have some knowledge about some murders that happened in San Francisco.’

‘In San Francisco? Who was killed?’ He asked, turning the page in his note book.

‘My dad, my brother and my best friend.’ The more she spoke, the more paranoid she was becoming. ‘Please, we have to go.’

‘What are their names?’ He stopped her.

‘Jason Richmond, Nick Richmond and Toni Stadler. Please, I can’t be here any longer.’ She was beginning to panic.

‘When did this happen?’

‘About a month ago.’ The cop looked at her carefully.

‘Do you know who killed them?’

‘Yeah, I think so.’ She said.

‘You think so?’ The cop asked.

‘Yeah.’

‘Do you have any proof?’ He questioned her, cocking his head to the side.

‘Ahh… Kind of. Look we have to go.’ She said, not really sure about how she was going to tell him about them.

‘Who did it?’ He wanted her to say it before he took her back to make an official statement.

‘I think my boyfriend and his friends did it.’ Her eyes watering as she spoke.

‘Your boyfriend?’ He repeated.

‘Yeah,’ single tears began sliding down her cheeks. ‘I don’t know but we have to get out of here.’

Calm down, are you in danger right now?’ He asked her, sensing the hysteria rising in her voice and she nodded. ‘OK, I think we need to go to the station and make a formal report.’ They both turned to leave and, to her absolute horror, she saw David standing a few feet in front of her and she felt like screaming and running for the hills but instead she grabbed the cop and hid behind him.

‘That’s him.’ She said and the cop stepped forward.

‘What are you doing, Star?’ She not only heard David’s words but she felt them in the very core of her being and she involuntarily dropped her grasp of the cop and stared at him.

‘You need to come with me.’ The cop said, and out of her peripheral vision she saw the cop reach for his radio only for it to be slapped out of his hand by Paul and somewhere in her consciousness, it registered that the other boys were standing around her and the reality of the situation hit her again. ‘I’m taking you all in for questioning regarding some murders in San Francisco.’ Star heard the cop say and she saw David look from the cop directly at her and she just wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. She watched him look back at the cop and David’s face darkened and she knew the gravity of the mistake she’d made in telling him.

‘Who died?’ David asked in his familiar caustic tone.

‘Jason Richmond, Nick Richmond and Toni Stadler.’ David’s reaction was instant and she watched his eyes default into the glowing red and yellow and his face morphed into the malformed structure she’d seen at the bonfire and he launched towards the cop, grabbing him before he even knew what was happening to him, and throwing him over to Paul.

‘You telling people about us? About what we do?’ David’s voice was overflowing with malice and she was terrified. She’d be stupid to think there would be no retaliation for what she’d just tried to do, and judging by the look on his face it was going to be harsh. ‘Well, best we show you exactly what we can do then huh? Paul, take him to Panther Beach.’ Oh, my God, what were they going to do to him? They wouldn’t kill a cop would they? The thought that they might kill him over this made her feel faint, it would be her fault he would die. Paul and Marko shot out of sight into the dark night leaving her there with David and Dwayne.

‘I told you not to fuck with me. You wanna play girl? Let’s play.’ David said and he grabbed her hard and shot her through the air with him up the coast and she thought not only would this be the end for the poor Policeman but for her as well.


	21. You Wanna Fuck With Me? I'll Fuck With You - David's POV

David hated the fact that Max was right, David had thought turning Marko had been hard work, but he wasn’t a patch on what Star was going to be and he knew he was going to have to break her. David dropped her hard on the beach near where Paul and Marko stood holding the cop, waiting for them. David was pissed with her, like really pissed, he couldn’t believe she had done what she’d done. How dare she threaten their existence after everything he had done for her, he should have left her to rot in San Francisco. Well, now he was going to make sure she never did it again. She cowered in the sand as he walked over to the cop, whose arms were stretched out between Paul and Marko.

‘You are going to learn what happens when you disobey me,’ he said to her and he swiftly back handed the cop breaking his jaw, ‘and when you tell anyone about us.’ He ripped the man’s arm from out of Marko’s grasp, dislocating his shoulder as he snapped his humerus bone so badly the splintered pieces protruded through the skin and the cop screamed.

‘NO! Please David, stop!’ Star screamed at him and he stepped towards her. The smell of the man’s blood wafted through the salty air intensifying David’s desire to cause both the man as much pain, and Star as much anguish as possible.

‘What Star? You don’t like this? Well, you did this.’ He walked back over to the cop, who was on the ground shaking and holding his arm. ‘Did you think you were going to get away with this without me finding out? Without any consequence? You think I would allow him to live knowing our secret? You are the only living person to know our secret that is not yet one of us,’ David grabbed the cop by his hair, ‘and there’s no fucking way a pig will ever know anything about us.’ He said as he slammed his boot into the man’s outstretched leg smashing his patella and bending his whole leg the wrong way. The man’s screams were music to David’s ears and he looked back over to Star to see she had her hands over her ears and was now crying. Paul and Marko laughed at David’s actions, they loved it when he was like this. This was the maniacal David they enjoyed hanging out with and the one Marko felt Star was taking away from them. David strode over to Star and snatched her hands away from her head and pulled her to the crippled cop. ‘You wanna put him out of his misery? The misery you put him in?’ He pushed the back of her head so close to the cops face, she could see the stubble on his cheek. ‘Hmm? You want to stop this? Do it Star. Kill him.’ He felt her pushing against him and she was shaking her head and he let her go. ‘You ever tell anyone about us again, you ever speak to anyone without my permission ever again and I will do this to you.’ He spat his warning at her then he pulled the cop up off the ground and sank his teeth into his throat and deep into his jugular, tearing it out and flinging it onto the sand with a shake of his head. It landed on the ground in front of her and he saw her red eyes looking back at him from her tear stained face. ‘Don’t you ever defy me again.’ He walked off leaving her on the sand, projecting to Dwayne to take her back to the cave. Dwayne picked her up and took off with her while David went to sit on the grass verge and pulled out a cigarette.

‘Wooo! You showed the bitch!’ Paul was buzzing after watching his brother in action.

‘Yeah well, it was the last thing I wanted to deal with right now. Max has a job for us.’ David said sucking in more smoke and wiping the blood off his face and Marko approached after ditching the dead cops’ body and David nodded his head in appreciation.

'Paul, I wanna get fucked up. What you got?’ David needed to chill and, although he’d enjoyed what he’d just done immensely, he needed something else to alter his state of mind and alcohol just wasn’t going to cut it.

‘What do you want?’ Paul answered, sounding like a well stocked drug store.

‘You got any tabs?’

‘Ahhh… I do. Came across some Silver Surfers last night.’ He pulled out a small plastic bag from his jacket and threw it at David. ‘And a smoke to bring them on.’ Paul added and he slid a large joint behind his ear. They all dropped their acid and David sat and smoked his cigarette beginning to calm down from the ultimate high of a kill such as that.

‘Fucking bitch, I can’t believe she did that.’ Marko said shaking his head, he was disliking Star more and more and this was just icing on the cake for him. She was dangerous.

‘It’s alright Marko, I got her number and she’ll never do that again.’ He flicked his cigarette away on the sand. ‘Looking at her tonight, it won’t be long until she kills anyways. I’ll pick up a kid or something for her when she’s weaker and she won’t be able to help herself. The pull gets us all.’

‘Is Max approving of turning her now?’ Paul asked him.

‘Is Max approving of anything we do?’ David asked him back. ‘No, Paul, he’s not. He warned me not to turn as chick.’ Paul looked away hearing that, displeasing Max was not something Paul enjoyed doing and he pulled out the joint.

‘Let’s get this shit going.’ He said sparking it, and within a couple of tokes their buzz began to kick in hard. ‘I think we need some fun boys.’ Paul said standing up and David and Marko looked up at him. ‘We’re going to Vegas. It’s Cheetahs Time!’ David smiled, it was Paul’s favourite strip club in Las Vegas.

‘Yeah! And without Dwayne around, we’ll actually get some attention.’ Marko laughed. David cleaned himself up and the boys took off east, arriving just over an hour later. They were nicely fucked up and sporting pupils the size of saucers and the minute they walked through the door, Paul was in his element and he bounced off to greet some of the dancers he knew. David and Marko found a booth and Paul quickly came back with a large bottle of Wild Turkey and some shot glasses and David looked at Marko and Marko smiled back at him and David knew they were in for the long haul. An hour passed and Paul had enjoyed his lap dance and Marko was off having his, while David sat in between two topless girls with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

‘You fuckers here without me?’ Dwayne appeared at their table to the reception of Paul hooting at him. ‘Hand it over.’ He said to Paul half smiling.

‘Heeeey!!’ Paul got up to welcome him and slid him the final tab from out of his pocket.

‘Where is she?’ David asked Dwayne and Dwayne sat down and saw the state of him and laughed.

‘Fuck, look at you. You’re fucked!’ David let out a low chuckle knowing it was true.

‘Where is she Dwayne? You didn’t just leave her there.’ David repeated and Dwayne downed a shot of Turkey.

‘You seem quite happy here.’ Dwayne said, his eyes flicking to the girls before he poured another shot and David just looked at him.

‘Leave.’ David said to the girls. ‘Now.’ The girls got up and left and David turned back to Dwayne.

‘Hey, where are my girls going?’ Paul suddenly tuned back into what was happening at the table, he’d been there the whole time but his brain was definitely with the gyrating hips on the girl on stage.

‘They were my girls and they’re leaving.’ David corrected him. ‘Now where is she?’

‘OK.’ Dwayne said lighting a cigarette. ‘It’s OK, she’s back at the cave. She ain’t going anywhere.’ Dwayne said and David looked at him seriously. ‘Don’t worry about it, she’s too scared to. You’ve scared her shitless. She’ll be there until we get back.’ David held his gaze on him a little longer and he knew Dwayne wouldn’t lie to him.

‘Good.’ David said thoughtfully.

‘What’s going on Dave?’ Dwayne asked him as Paul went off to get a better view down next to the stage.

‘I don’t know man, what she did has me questioning what I’m doing.’ David admitted. ‘Am I making a mistake with her?’ David would never say that to anyone else but he could to Dwayne. ‘Max told me not to and I’m thinking I should have listened to him.

‘It’s too late. What’s done is done.’ Dwayne said with his old Indian soul wisdom. ‘You’re not going to let her go, she’s part of you now as you are a part of her. She is meant to yours for all time. Things will change now she knows the extent of what you’ll do.’ Dwayne poured them both shots. ‘Relax, she’ll come around.’ They drank their shots and Dwayne’s pupils began to expand before David’s eyes. Some fun was exactly what the boys needed and they ran riot in the club until it was nearly dawn. Realising they weren’t going to make it back to Santa Carla in time, they went to one of their old haunts and holed up for the day, David wasn’t overly happy with it but Dwayne reassured him Star wasn’t going to disappear and he told him he had no choice now anyways. David was up as soon as the sun set and he got the others up almost instantly.

‘Ugh, what the fuck man?’ Paul complained, looking and feeling very much worse for wear.

‘We gotta get back to Santa Carla. We got shit to do.’ David told him.

‘You got shit to do. Not me.’ Paul said lying his head back down, closing his eyes and David smacked him across the top of the head and told him again to get up.

‘We have been given the task of killing a city councillor.’ David told them.

‘Is this what you were talking about on the beach?’ Marko asked him.

‘Yeah, we gotta track this dude and get rid of him. I wanna get this over and done with as soon as possible.’ David said putting his jacket on. ‘I’m sick of doing Max’s shit.’ Dwayne appeared through the door, looking like he’d been running or something.

‘We gotta go. Like now.’ Dwayne said semi giggling but still very serious.

‘What have you done?’ David asked him, picking up on Dwayne’s urgency.

‘Those tabs were fucking insane.’ Dwayne said to Paul, hitting his shoulder. Dwayne still looked fucked but he’d taken his later than the rest of them and he was still riding the wave.

‘That they were brother.’ Paul said getting up.

‘Dwayne, what have you done?’ David asked him again.

‘Yeah, well I um… I killed someone I probably shouldn’t have and we gotta gap it.’ The boys got out of there and headed back to Santa Carla, getting back there by 10.30pm. David sent Marko off to do some reconnaissance at Raoul’s home, he was going to send Paul off with him but it didn’t take a genius to see that Paul was in no state to do that. All the boys were somewhat suffering after the effects of the Silver Surfers and the last thing any of them wanted to be was Max’s problem solver but Marko would always do as David asked no matter what. The rest of them picked up their bikes and got back to the cave, Paul heading straight for one of the couches and Dwayne heading for the other, while David took his jacket off and wrestled with his conflicted feelings of whether he should approach Star or leave her sitting on her bed alone. He looked at her and she looked so serene and beautiful sitting there looking through a small booklet and he was reminded of why he wanted her in the first place. He wanted to go to her and kiss her and take her but he was still angry with her and he didn’t have the mental capacity, nor the patience, to deal with her crying or sulking right now. He walked over to her bed and sat on the bed with his legs stretched out, placing his hand on her lower back and she closed the booklet. He noticed it was one of Dwayne’s sketching pads and he was surprised, Dwayne had allowed her to see his drawings again.

‘Star,’ she turned to look at him, ‘come here.’ He said to her and she leaned back next to him. He grabbed her hand and placed it in his lap and began to play with her bracelets.

‘I’m sorry.’ She said quietly looking down.

‘Yeah, well now you know what I will do to protect myself and my pack.’ He looked at her. ‘And you.’ She lifted her head and looked at him and he placed his hand on her cheek. ‘You’re my girl. You’re one of us Star.’ He leaned forward and kissed her and she weakly kissed him back and he pulled back, dropping his hand, and analysed her reaction to him. ‘Would you like to go get something to eat?’ He asked, knowing she hadn’t eaten in over a day and she nodded. ‘Come on boys, let’s get some food and meet up with Marko.’ He got up and grabbed his jacket.

They headed to Pacific Thai in Downtown Santa Carla and David called Marko to meet them. They sat eating their Thai food and everyone was rather quiet, those tabs had done a real number on them but at least it had made them more tolerant of her considering what she’d tried to do.

‘You find him?’ David asked Marko once he arrived.

‘Yep. He’s a young preppy dude with a young wife and a penchant for snow.’ Marko said touching his nose. ‘He has a work do tomorrow night that he has told wifey she can’t attend.’ Marko had done well, extremely well and David was impressed with what he’d been able to ascertain in such a short time.

‘Where?’ David asked.

‘Hilton up in San Fran.’ The Hilton. There was no way the boys would get away with being inconspicuous at a place like the Hilton but if they could get him to come out… As he had the thought he looked over at Star and he began to formulate a plan. This was a way she could make it up to them.

‘Come on Star, we’re going shopping.’ She looked at him confused. ‘We’re getting you a dress, you have a party to attend.’ The boys all rose around her and she looked a little alarmed.

‘I don’t want to go to a party.’ She quietly declined his invitation.

‘Sure you do.’ David ignored her resistance and walked out of the restaurant leaving Dwayne to deal with the bill. They walked down Pacific Ave towards the fashion shops that were open late and, as they passed a window display, he spotted a gorgeous red dress on one of the mannequins and stopped. ‘That’s it.’ Star looked at him like he was crazy. ‘That’s the one. Go in and try it on.’ He told her.

‘I’m not wearing that.’ She said incredulously and he glared at her. It took her a second but then she walked inside the store while David and the boys hung around the entrance, receiving awkward looks from the shop assistants. Before long Star emerged from the dressing room and the boys all stood like statues, staring at her. She looked stunning, like innocence wrapped in sex appeal and it was perfect. Seeing her dressed like that both turned David on and made his jealousy surge at the same time.

‘Yes.’ Paul nudged David’s arm and David’s head twitched.

‘We’ll take it.’ David said to the ladies, walking outside with the boys following his lead.

‘You’re going to let her wear that to a party we can’t go to?’ Dwayne asked David with his eyebrows raised. ‘After the other night?’

‘Hell yeah he is. She looks great!’ Paul said slapping David on the back and David felt a little uncomfortable but he was going to go through with it. If Max hadn’t told him he had to get this guy, there’s no way he would be allowing this. Yet another reason to get out from under him. Star came out with a bag in her hand and David looked at her surprised.

‘How did you get that?’ He asked, knowing she had no money.

‘I asked for it.’ She said with a small smile and a smirk crawled across his face. Her action had impressed him and it was a good move on her part at the moment.

‘We’re going back to the cave. I’ll see you guys later.’ David told the boys and they went off to hunt while he went back to the cave with Star. He’d been so fucked up last night that he wasn’t in the mood to be out again tonight and, walking into the cave, he saw Star try to head off to her bed but he stopped her.

‘Oh no you don’t. Come and sit with me.’ He told her and she came and sat on the couch and he sat in his chair and watched her, and as the silence between them grew, she looked even more guilty and nervous. She was scared of him, he could see it. Good, it would help keep her in line until she’d turned.

‘What is this party I have to go to?’ She finally said, looking up at him with sad eyes.

‘There’s a man I want you to talk to. I want you to convince him to come outside with you and I will take it from there.’ She looked at him suspiciously. ‘No questions, just do as I ask Star.’ He said, becoming annoyed he was having to explain himself to her. ‘Let’s have a smoke. It’ll help you with your stomach pains. At least until you feed.’ He said pulling out a joint from his jacket and sparking it, inhaling a lungful of smoke then handing it over to her. She looked at it, then up at him and then she took it and he sat back satisfied, watching her cough a little on the smoke. Maybe this would chill her out. They shared the smoke and his head quickly became comfortably numb. He wasn’t going to have her sleeping alone tonight and he needed a room that he could sleep in with her so he got up and walked out the back of the cave to one of the rooms that had survived the fall and he hauled out one of the old beds, dragged it into the room. He also found some blankets and pillows and set it up for them and, in the meanwhile the boys had returned and were sharing another smoke. David came out from the back and he could see that Star was now well stoned and he sat down and talked mindless shit with the boys for a while before he realised Star had fallen asleep on Dwayne’s shoulder and he stood and picked her up. ‘I’ll see you all tomorrow.’ He said as he took her out the back. The boys looked at each other perplexed as to what he was doing and David heard Paul say a smart ass comment as he disappeared but he ignored him. He lay her down on the bed and she woke up, freaking out a little as she saw him leaning above her

‘No.’ She said trying to get up.

‘Ssshhh.’ He said. ‘You’re going to stay here with me tonight.’

‘What?’ She asked him and he could feel her fear rushing through her.

'I’ve set up this room for us so when I want to, I can stay with you.’ He leaned forward and kissed her and he could hear her heart beating. ‘You’re mine and I told I will be with you.’ She lay there and he kissed her again and she relaxed as he smothered her with his influence. He kissed her deeper and his hands began to roam all over her body and he had her. She was his for the taking for the night, for the rest of time.


	22. You Wanna Fuck With Me? I'll Fuck With You - Star's POV

It hurt when she was dropped onto the ground and her legs were so weak from fear, she couldn’t find the strength to get up. David was furious and all she got from the other three were dead pan expressions, except Marko, who was just as angry, if not more so, than David. She had really fucked up. Paul and Marko held either arm of the policeman, she noticed he had split skin on his cheekbone so obviously one of the boys had hit him but she was glad he was still alive.

‘You are going to learn what happens when you disobey me,’ David said in a calm yet acid laced voice and he slammed the back of his hand into the face of the man and she heard a sickening crack as the cop’s jaw broke. She looked at the cop and his mouth now hung unnaturally open and she felt sick. ‘And when you tell anyone about us.’ David told her and in one movement, he tore the man’s arm from Marko and snapped it, the bone poking through the flesh and the poor man cried out in extreme pain. Star couldn’t believe what was happening.

‘NO! Please David, stop!’ She screamed and David turned and walked towards her.

‘What Star? You don’t like this? You did this.’ He spat his words at her, walking back towards the cop. ‘Did you think you were going to get away with this without me finding out? Without any consequence? You think I would allow him to live knowing our secret? You are the only living person to know our secret that is not yet one of us and there’s no fucking way a pig will ever know anything about us.’ She watched him grab the cop by the head and crush his knee with his boot heel and the sound made her flinch so hard, she had to close her eyes and she’d stopped breathing. She couldn’t stand hearing the man’s painful screaming and she tried to shut it out by covering her ears and she couldn’t help by begin to cry. This was her fault, if she hadn’t have said anything, this wouldn’t be happening and it wouldn’t happen to her. She was shaking in fear, certain that she would be next. Suddenly her hands were yanked away and she heard laughter above the pitiful whimpering of the cop. Laughter? Paul and Marko found this funny? David pulled her roughly over next to the cop. ‘You wanna put him out of his misery? The misery you put him in?’ He pushed her face close to the cop’s as he spoke into her ear. ‘Hmm? You want to stop this? Do it Star. Kill him.’ He was pushing her to kill the man, and being so close to him with the sight and smell of his blood, she was struggling with her urge to want to taste him as it was, but she refused and pushed against David’s hand, shaking her head. She wouldn’t, she couldn’t kill him. She felt ultimately sorry for what she had caused him to go through, she wasn’t going to then take his life. David pushed her head as he let her go and she could feel his seething anger. ‘You ever tell anyone about us again, you ever speak to anyone without my permission ever again and I will do this to you.’ The man was dragged away from her and she saw a fully turned David create a large gash in the man’s neck and gouge out a large vein which he spat out just in front of her, before dropping the convulsing cop’s body onto the ground. She looked up at him, so shocked at his depravity that she was nearly convulsing herself and beginning to hyperventilate. ‘Don’t you ever defy me again.’ He said and he stalked off up the beach. What she’d just witnessed was fresh out of a Wes Craven movie and she couldn’t believe he’d left her alive but she didn’t know whether being alive had left her in a far more precarious position and that, in all honesty, she would be better off dead. Dwayne walked towards her and picked her up off the sand.

‘No, no, no…’ She panicked and he placed one of her arms over his shoulder and took off with her back to the cave. She didn’t fight him, he was just as strong as the other two and she knew there was no way she was going to escape his grasp. He placed her on her bed and she sat there shaking uncontrollably going into shock and unable to catch her breath and Dwayne stood there silently staring at her, not really knowing what to do. He sat next to her and placed his arms around her and she freaked out and began pulling away from him, thinking he was going to kill her.

‘Hey, hey, it’s alright. Shhh.’ He said and he held her tighter until she stopped struggling and she broke and cried. They sat like this for the next few minutes until she had calmed herself down and pulled herself together a bit.

‘Are you OK?’ He asked her and she looked at him, surprised at his question. It was the first time he’d gone out of his way to be kind to her and she didn’t want to seem ungrateful, she’d pissed off enough vampires for one night.

‘No, but I will be.’ She told him.

‘Yeah, you will be.’ He agreed. ‘You can’t blame him, what you did was reckless and dangerous. And incredibly stupid.’

‘I know.’ She said looking down. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘No, you’re lucky, that’s what you are.’ Dwayne said truthfully. ‘I thought he was going to kill you. He must really love you because I have seen him kill over far less than what you have done tonight.’ He paused. ‘Believe him and don’t fuck up again. Now sit and stay and calm down. There’s something I’d like you to do for me.’ She sat there and wrapped herself in the shawl she had and did some deep breathing to try and centre herself. He came back with a polished wolfs tooth that he’d fashioned into an earring and handed it to her. ‘Will you pierce my ear?’ She was surprised, first that he wanted her to do it but second that he was actually being nice to her after what she’d done.

‘Ahh… sure.’ She said, willing to do anything he asked to keep the vampire in front of her happy, and she went to get her supplies. She sterilized the needle and told him to sit on her bed. She kneeled down beside him and pulled his hair away from his ear and it was then she noticed how handsome he was. No, he was more than that, he was gorgeous and she couldn’t work out why she hadn’t noticed it before. With her shaking hands, he pierced his ear and slid the ring into his lobe and sat back looking at it. It suited him perfectly.

‘Thanks.’ He said gently touching it.

‘Why are you being nice to me?’ She asked him as he got up.

‘I believe in fate and you are meant to be here with us Star. You and David are meant to be together. Who am I to stand in the way of destiny?’ He said simply. ‘Now, I am going to meet up with the boys and you are going to stay here. If you leave, I will kill you myself. There is no fate between you and I but sometimes you make your own fate. Got it?’ He was serious and she nodded. He walked over and picked up a book and walked back to her. ‘You leave, you’re dead.’ He said throwing one of his sketching pads over onto her bed and he left. She crawled up and lay on her bed in the foetal position. Fate. Dwayne had said it was fate she was here, that David and she were meant to be together and she didn’t understand. Was she meant to be a vampire? A killer? That made no sense to her. Where was her happy ending? Where was her American dream? 2.2 kids, a dog and a loving husband? Her life had already been shit, this couldn’t be her destiny. She lay there tormented by what she’d seen and exhaustion began to take hold of her. She was too scared to go anywhere knowing what they would do to someone who betrayed them but she was also terrified to stay. She was frozen, not knowing what to do, and she was so tired. She wondered what time it was and when they would be back then sleep quickly took her.

She awoke feeling as flat as a pancake and just lay there for a few minutes wondering if the boys were back. She hadn’t heard them come back in last night. She then noticed Dwayne’s book and she reached over and picked it up. It was another sketching pad and she sat up and began to look at the images it held. They were good, they were really good, detailed drawings. Dwayne was really talented. There were drawings of all the boys separately and he’d managed to capture their essence on paper, she could feel Paul’s wild side, Marko’s cheekiness and David’s charisma. She was mesmerized by them. He had drawn the Boardwalk, the railway tracks out in the mountains, an owl in a tree and a whole range of Native American images. Then she turned the page and saw one of herself and she stopped. He had drawn her and it was beautiful and she loved it. She was blown away with the way he saw her, naïve beauty with a touch of sadness. There was one more after hers which was half done and it was going to be one of all of them. He’d drawn David looking over at Star and the possessiveness in his eyes was unmistakable. Paul was laughing with a half-finished Marko and he’d done the outlines of himself and a couple of bikes with the pier in the background, she would like to watch him draw the rest of it but she didn’t think that was going to happen. Suddenly she heard the boys clamber down the entrance to the cave and her rib cage froze and she closed her eyes, dreading what was coming. She felt David sit on her bed and she opened her eyes again when she felt his hand stroke the base of her spine and she closed Dwayne’s sketching pad.

‘Star.’ She heard him say her name and she turned to look at him. ‘Come here.’ She didn’t want to, she didn’t want to be anywhere near him but she also knew that Dwayne was right and she couldn’t go anywhere now, she was stuck here with them and she was going to have to make peace. She leaned back and sat next to him and he grabbed her hand and held it in his lap and she looked at him. The monster had gone and he looked tired.

‘I’m sorry.’ She said and he sighed making her look down.

‘Yeah, well now you know what I will do to protect myself and my pack and you.’ She heard him include her and she looked up into his cobalt blue eyes and he put his hand on her cheek softly. ‘You’re my girl. You’re one of us Star.’ He leaned to her and kissed her and she reluctantly returned the kiss, not wanting to antagonise the beast again. He stopped and looked at her before he spoke again. ‘Would you like to go get something to eat?’ She nodded, hoping the food would take away the pain in her stomach and she got up and David told the boys they were going to get some food and meet Marko, and it was then she realised Marko wasn’t there with them.

0o0

She’d never been a fan of Thai food but she picked at the dishes David had gotten her and unfortunately it failed to make her feel any better. Marko arrived and sat there giving her dirty looks and she turned away feeling guilty and moved her attention to the other people in the room. There was a little girl sitting two tables away from her and she was staring at Star and Star gave her a small smile and the little girl smiled back at her. She wondered if she’d ever have a little girl, if that was in her destiny but she couldn’t imagine David ever being a father.

‘Come on Star, we’re going shopping.’ She heard David say and she tuned back into the conversation at the table not knowing why she was going shopping. ‘We’re getting you a dress, you have a party to attend.’ A party? What party? Her gut instincts told her that this was wrong.

‘I don’t want to go to a party.’ She shook her head.

‘Sure you do.’ David dismissed her comment and pulled her up to her feet. They walked out of the restaurant and down the street towards clothing stores, which stocked items she couldn’t afford and wouldn’t wear anyways. Suddenly he stopped outside a high-end woman’s store looking at a fitted red dress.

‘That’s it.’ She looked sideways at him. ‘That’s the one. Go in and try it on.’

‘I’m not wearing that.’ She said to him. Aside from the colour, it was nowhere near her style of dress. Where was he was sending her and what for, wearing something like that? She felt the heat of his stare on her and she looked at him and knew he was serious. She’d already just about died defying him, she wasn’t about to do it again. She walked in the store, found the dress and took it to the dressing room. She looked the dress over and then at the price tag. $1800. This was one serious dress. She pulled it on and it fit her small frame with a little room to spare, she’d lost weight being with these boys. She walked out and she instantly held all the boys attention.

‘Yes.’ She heard Paul say and she looked at David and he was captivated, his mouth slightly open in awe. Her cheeks reddened with all the eyes scanning her body.

‘We’ll take it.’ David told the shop assistants, one of which approached her.

‘You look gorgeous.’ She told Star. ‘Do you have shoes?’ Star shook her head and the lady told her to stay there and she went off to get some for her. She came back with a pair of shiny black stilettos and Star tried them on. They were perfect and Star said yes to them and then she went to take the dress off. She began thinking of how she was going to pay for all this, knowing none of the boys had $1800 let alone what the shoes were going to cost. Then she thought of David’s compulsion and wondered if she could do it too. She came out of the dressing room and walked to the centre of the store. The assistant came and took the dress and led Star to the counter and took the security tag off and placed the shoes and dress in a bag for her. ‘Can I ask you a question?’ The lady said to her and Star looked at her. ‘Are you OK? With these guys, I mean, are you OK?’ Star was thrown, she didn’t know what to say. She knew what she wanted to say but she knew what would happen if she did so she softly smiled and nodded saying she was fine. Then she looked at the ladies and said that she was going to take the bag and leave and, to her surprise, the ladies just stood there and gave her blank stares. They didn’t try and stop her or say anything to her, they just let her walk out. She walked over to David and he looked at her a bit shocked.

‘How did you get that?’ He asked.

‘I asked for it.’ She gave him a small smile and his face changed to one of impressed surprise and she knew she’d done well. David told the boys he was going back to the cave and that he’d see them later and she knew she would be expected to go with him. She enjoyed the ride back, the air was cool and she could have been on his bike all night long. Upon getting back to the cave, she walked over in the direction of her bed but his voice stopped her.

‘Oh, no you don’t. Come and sit with me.’ She placed her bag on her bed, trying not to cringe at his request. She turned around and went and sat on the couch feeling uncomfortable and unsure of what he was going to do, she just wanted to lie on her bed and be left alone. David sat watching her and she felt like he was studying her and picking up on every minute move she made. The silence was killing her and she had to say something to break it.

‘What is this party I have to go to?’ She asked him, looking up at him.

‘There’s a man I want you to talk to. I want you to convince him to come outside with you and I will take it from there.’ This was just sounding dodgier and dodgier and she knew everything about this was wrong. ‘No questions, just do as I ask Star.’ He said curtly and she sensed he was getting annoyed and she shrunk back into the couch. ‘Let’s have a smoke, it’ll help you with your stomach pains. At least until you feed.’ How did he know she was having stomach pains? He lit the smoke and she was hesitant in taking it but she did, hoping he was right and that it might help her. They passed the smoke between them and she was unprepared for how strong it was. He gave it back to her and then he got up and walked out the back, leaving her in the main cave on her own when the boys arrived back in his absence and Paul took the smoke off her.

‘Just what I need.’ He said. She had had too much anyways and was glad he’d taken it from her. Dwayne plonked down next to her on the couch.

‘What did you think?’ She looked at him.

‘About what?’ She asked, too stoned to click what he was talking about.

‘My drawings in the book I left you.’ He said.

‘Oh… Oh, they’re amazing! You are really talented!’ She said more animated than she’d been all night and Dwayne’s face lit up.

‘You been showing her your talents? Ooo David won’t like that.’ Paul laughed as he gave Dwayne shit and David came out.

‘I won’t like what?’ He asked Paul and Paul laughed again. They began to talk about stuff she wasn’t interested in and she began thinking of Dwayne’s drawings and wondered what else he’d drawn in his other booklets. Suddenly she woke up and she was lying on a cold bed in a different cavern with David leaning above her and she began to panic.

‘No.’ She tried to get up but he wouldn’t let her.

‘Ssshhh. You’re going to stay here with me tonight.’ In where? She didn’t know where she was.

‘What?’ She asked, watching him warily and her heart thumped painfully in her chest.

‘I’ve set up this room for us so I can stay with you.’ He moved closer to her and kissed her and she thought her heart was going to break her rib cage. ‘You’re mine and I want to be with you.’ He kissed her again and she went rigid, terrified and not wanting to do this with him after what she’d seen him do. She looked into his eyes, into his soul and all of a sudden she felt pins and needles all through her body and he kissed her harder and she felt powerless to deny him. She felt his tongue in her mouth and his hand under her skirt sliding up her inner thigh and despite her intense unwillingness, she succumb to him and she slept with the Devil again.


	23. Never Again - David's POV

David felt movement near him and he shot his eyes open, he remained still but ready to react. It had been decades since he’d woken up in a bed, let alone with someone and it had him on alert but, once he remembered it was only Star, he relaxed and let his guard down a little.

‘Hello Starlight.’ He saw her cheeks redden and quickly she sat up looking for her clothes and seeing her naked back made him think of the pleasure he’d divulged in last night. He was enjoying having her for himself and the power he felt over her, he’d always thought having a girlfriend would tie him down but Star complimented him nicely and he was content to keep her around even though they’d had a significant bump in their road. He lay on his side and watched her get dressed, she was so delicate and precise in her movements that she reminded him of a ballet dancer. ‘Go and get your things, we’re going to a motel to clean up and get you ready.’ He got up, put his pants on and walked out to wake the boys. ‘Get up, we’re leaving.’ David woke them and one by one they dropped from the ceiling.

‘Are you going to be sleeping with her from now on?’ Marko asked him.

‘Sometimes.’ David turned to Marko and saw he was looking a little put out and he could sense he was feeling dejected by David’s action. Marko was going to have to get over it but David would deal with that later, he had a job to do first. ‘Paul, go get us a car and bring it up to San Francisco, let me know when you have it and I’ll let you know where we are. You two head up there on your bikes and we’ll meet you up there.’ Paul and Dwayne headed out to the main cave and David spoke again. ‘And Paul,’ David said and Paul turned to look at him, ‘something subtle.’ Paul smiled and he left. David walked back out to the main cave behind Marko to put his jacket on. He needed to clean up and he needed a place to leave his bike so he decided to take her to a motel her knew of just out of San Francisco.

**0o0**

He walked into the reception and the owner continued to look at his reservations book and didn’t acknowledge them at all by sight.

‘Can I help you?’

‘I want a room for a few hours.’ David answered him and the man looked up, and then from David to Star and back again.

‘Yeah, I bet you do.’ He said and he received a glare from the both of them. David threw a fifty dollar bill down on the counter. ‘She looks like she’s worth it.’ David dismissed the man’s comment, normally the man’s tongue would be ripped out saying something like that but he needed to fly under the radar tonight and he had more to worry about than this guy’s opinion right now. Star walked in the room and headed straight to the bathroom and he knew by her body language she’d taken offense to the man’s comment too but she was also going to have to get over it also. There was a lot of getting over things that needed to occur. After about twenty minutes she was still in the shower so he banged on the door to get her out. They needed to get going and get her to this party before this guy had been and gone so he opened the door and she scrambled to cover herself with the towel and he smiled, it’s not like it was anything he hadn’t already seen.

‘Didn’t wanna have a shower together?’ He teased and he got naked and into the shower while she avoided his eyes and walked out. He came out of the shower ten minutes later to find her sitting on the bed in her normal clothing and his frustration flared. ‘What are you doing? Why aren’t you dressed?’ For fucks sake.

‘I can’t ride with you in this dress.’ She said holding the bag.

‘You’re not, Paul is picking up a car and is coming to get us.’ He said pulling on his shirt and pants.

‘David, this is crazy. I don’t even know who I’m supposed to be talking to or if it’s a private party or anything about this. Can’t you compel him to come out and speak to you? I don’t want to do this.’ Was she serious?

‘Don’t you dare question me! You will do as I say! Now get dressed!’ He charged out of the room slamming the door. He was fucked off, no one defied or questioned him yet she had done it twice in the past three days. Had she learned the other night? What was he going to have to do?

‘Where are you, I’m just south of San Fran.’ Paul appeared in his head.

‘Come to Motel 6 in San Mateo.’ David responded and he sparked a cigarette out on the porch and he thought of Max. This was all Max’s doing and David inhaled his smoke, feeling over putting up with his elder. Within ten minutes he saw car headlights coming his way and he went back in to tell her that Paul had arrived. He opened the door and she was standing in the dress and heels and she was adjusting her long curly hair into a French twist and his heart skipped a beat. Dwayne was right, he didn’t want her going anywhere without him looking like that. He finished getting dressed and he stood up after putting his boots on and, as she went to walk out the door, he stopped her and looked her over. She looked unbelievable and he felt like he was sending his prized sheep out to the wolves. ‘You look stunning.’ He told her and he kissed her cheek and opened the door for her. Star walked out ahead of him and he heard a wolf whistle from Paul and he looked up and stopped just as he stepped out of the room when he saw Paul leaning against a brand new, clean black mustang and David’s face dropped. ‘I said subtle.’ David growled and he slammed the door closed. Jesus, Paul.

‘Bro, I don’t do subtle.’ Paul smiled and David took Star’s arm and escorted her into the car.

‘Where are Dwayne and Marko?’ She asked, sitting in the back behind Paul.

‘They are meeting us up there. Go Paul, we’re running short on time.’ David told her.

**0o0**

Twenty minutes later Paul pulled up just down the road from the Hilton in central San Francisco.

‘Where are you?’ David projected to Dwayne.

‘Southern end of the park.’ David looked around and saw the park Dwayne was talking about opposite the hotel and he smiled. ‘Good, I’ll see you soon.’ He looked out the window at the people walking past and was reminded of how much he hated San Francisco.

‘He’s coming up towards the Hilton now. Black long sleeved shirt, grey pants.’ Marko’s voice penetrated David’s psyche and David saw him. He looked wiry and like he had a well-established habit going on.

‘That’s him.’ He told her and both Star and Paul watched him stride arrogantly up the road and David smiled, he looked forward to smacking some of that arrogance out of him. David pulled out some money and gave it to her. ‘Bring him out to the park. I will be waiting there for you.’ He saw her legs wobble as she got out of the car and he watched her cross the street and he saw she really wasn’t up for this and wondered how she was going to cope or even if she was going to cope and he couldn’t help but have a tinge of insecurity that she would repeat her performance on the beach. If Max found out about that, Star would be dead, he knew that for sure. This would be the one and only time he would use her for something like this and, as she disappeared into the hotel, David’s jaw clicked as he clenched his molars together.

‘I can’t believe you’re doing this, especially after what she’s done already.’ Paul looked out the window and David looked at Paul. ‘She could do anything in there. She could call the cops, she could leave out another entrance. Hell, she could tell anybody anything.’ Paul taunted him.

‘Shut up Paul.’ David was feeling paranoid as it was, he didn’t need Paul voicing his internal dialogue for him and Paul laughed at him. He was saying it all on purpose just to fuck with him.

‘Don’t worry, she wouldn’t dare. She’s too scared. She could barely stand up.’ Paul had noticed it too. David knew he’d shaken her to her core the other night but he was still unsure and he waited impatiently in the car and Paul could feel his anxiety growing.

‘Park in the alley over there, let’s go wait in the park.’ Paul parked up the car and they walked down across the road and in through the park gates. Paul pulled out a joint and David smiled at his brother. ‘See, now that’s why I keep you around.’

‘Yeah.’ Paul agreed and they sat next to a small pond and blazed away, waiting for her to come out. The pot was quality and it calmed him down somewhat.

‘Who is this guy?’ Paul asked, passing the joint to David.

‘Some dick Max is working with.’ David told him.

‘So, why don’t he do it?’ Paul reiterated David’s sentiment.

‘Apparently he’s too good to do this one.’ David said, dripping with sarcasm.

‘Whatever.’ Paul threw the roach away and looked around. ‘This town is boring.’

‘Mmm.’ David responded, agreeing with him. He had his own reasons to dislike this town and he was ready to get this done so he could leave.

‘She’s heading out already.’ Dwayne echoed in David’s head and sure enough, David spied her emerging from out of the hotel with the man following after her and they headed his way. ‘Time to intercept.’ Paul jumped down and disappeared into the shadows with Marko and Dwayne while David watched them walk closer to him and heard him ask her if she was scared of being there in the dark with him and David dropped down off the pond ledge.

‘Why would she be?’ David answered him and he surprised them and they both spun around to look at him. 

‘Who are you?’ Raoul was confused and he turned to Star. ‘Is he a nark?!’ He asked, looking back to David.

‘Do I look like a cop?’ David scoffed. ‘Star come here.’ He ordered and she came to him while he kept an eye on Raoul, as he heard Dwayne coming in from the air, and he watched him grab the man and fly off with him. Out of the corner of his eye, he’d seen Star jump when Raoul was taken but he ignored her reaction.

‘Where is he? I thought you just wanted to speak to him?’ She asked breathlessly.

‘Dwayne is having a little chat with him.’ He replied, knowing he was probably dead already and he led her out of the park to the car.

‘So, he’s going to be alright, right?’ She needed reassurance.

‘Sure.’ He said crossing the road. If dead was alright, he was going to be fine.

‘What are we doing?’ He was asked and he answered her without looking at her.

‘Waiting for Paul.’ He arrived at the car and pulled out his cigarettes, leaned against the car and lit one. He noticed a street light flickering at the end of the alley and he stared at it as he sucked in and blew out his smoke. What was Paul doing? He heard a car door shut and he sensed a man approached them.

‘How much?’ A man’s voice spoke and both David and Star looked at him. ‘For her, how much?’ Then David clicked. Motherfucker. He thinks Star is a whore. He pushed off the car and took a step towards him.

‘$300.’

‘Is that for everything?’ David maintained his composure as the dumb fuck got out his wallet.

‘$300 for a fuck. $400 and you can do what you want for the night.’ The man’s smile made David want to rip his fucking head off.

‘Including bare back? I wanna cum all inside that one.’ He said and David had to focus really hard to refrain from reacting.

‘Bare back is $500.’ David told him trying not to grit his teeth. The man handed over a wad of fifty dollar bills and David counted them. He’d given him five hundred. ‘Now fuck off.’ David’s tone changed as he turned around folding the notes again.

‘What?’ The man said.

‘Did you not hear me?’ David spun on his heel and walked towards him again. ‘I told you to fuck off. No one touches my girl but me, you disrespectful fuck, and if you don’t get the fuck out of here, you will never see daylight again.’ He wasn’t playing anymore.

‘I’m going to call the police if you don’t give me my money back.’ The man’s voice cracked as he spoke. The worst thing he could have done was threaten David with the police and David instantly slammed his fist into the man’s throat crushing his Adam’s apple and the man fell to his knees and began spitting and choking on his own blood. Fucking asshole, who the fuck did he think he was to call his girl a whore and then threaten him. David was pissed, this guy looked like he was going to die and someone had noticed. They couldn’t wait for Paul any longer.

‘Fuck.’ David quickly broke into the car, telling her to get in, and he hotwired the engine, taking off with a screech of tyre rubber. He wanted to get the fuck out of this fucking town and out of this fucking car as soon as possible, knowing that someone had probably seen him. He drove to the motel and stopped the car without turning the engine off. ‘Go in and get changed. I’ll be back.’ As soon as she got out of the car, he drove off with a spurt of gravel, he had to get rid of this piece of shit car. In reality it was a beautiful muscle car and he understood why Paul had chosen it, but to him right now it was a piece of shit. He drove it down to an industrial area and left it near a closed up warehouse then he flew back to the motel. He didn’t go in, instead choosing to sit out on his bike and wait for her. She opened the door and the yellow light caught his eye and he started his bike, enjoying the grunt of the engine. He looked back over at her and she got on and he took off south initially, but he saw the highway heading east towards Los Gatos and before he’d really thought about it, he’d taken the turnoff and he was headed down to a lost town of his past. Within the hour, he had entered the small town and he suddenly felt a bit queasy as he was transported into a time he’d long forgotten. He passed a street and he slowed his bike, looking at the property he used to live on and upon seeing it, he saw a different, more modern house but the land was the same. This was it, this is where it all began, where a young eighteen-year-old David had met Max. He hadn’t been back here since that day and he rode slowly through the town, trying to recognise different places but so much had changed in that time that he was struggling to recognise anything. There was one place he knew wouldn’t have changed, one place that held the most prominent memory for him and as he pulled up there, the impact of being in the place again rocked him more than he was prepared for, he almost expected Max to be there waiting for him again the way he was feeling. He parked the bike and Star got off but he sat there still wrestling with his ghosts before he finally got off.

‘What are we doing here?’ She stood there holding the bag with the dress and the shoes inside and he took it off her and dumped it in a bin, then walked over to the water’s edge and he stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets. This is where it happened. This is where Max had met with him one night and taken his mortality away from him. For the first time, he wondered who and what he might have become if he hadn’t been turned. He’d never analysed it over the century he’d been a vampire, he’d never really cared before but right now he was allowing himself to think about the life he might have had if Max hadn’t have come into his life. Would he have married and had kids? Would he have been close with his brother? Worked in a factory and died a content old man surrounded by a loving family? He wondered why Max had chosen him and why he’d just accepted it and embraced it the way he had. His father had died in the civil war leaving him and his brother alone with his mom, and the years had taught him that he was probably looking for a father figure in his life, which is why Max had held such an appeal for him and he had easily done as Max had asked of him for so long. The desire to be accepted and by someone so powerful, but Max had abused his power over time and that was when David had begun to have enough, like William had before him. Dwayne came first as a companion for David then Paul a while later and by the time David had turned Marko, Max was pissed at David’s push for independence. Fucking Max, trying to control him and dictate what he did and with whom. He never would have used Star like that if it wasn’t for him. He would protect her from Max from here on out.

‘Are you OK?’ His head jerked slightly at the sound of her voice. He’d all but forgotten she was there with him and he briefly wondered how long he’d been standing there.

‘This is where I was turned.’ He told her honestly. ‘I haven’t been back here since that night.’ He pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

‘When were you turned?’ He was surprised at her interest and he felt strange, almost vulnerable, divulging that information to her. He took a deep inhale of smoke before he answered.

‘A long time ago.’ He said still looking at the water. ‘I’m older than you think Star.’

‘How old are you?’ He looked at her but said nothing. ‘Do you remember JFK?’

‘I’m older than that.’ He snorted, tipping his ash and inhaling more smoke. This conversation is one he’d never thought he’d have with her.

‘World War 2?’ His lip curled and nodded. ‘World War 1?’ His smile dropped and he nodded, hoping she would drop it now. ‘Titanic?’ He looked down and nodded, remembering reading about it in the paper. She was making him remember things that were making him feel really old and he decided coming here was a mistake, he didn’t even know why he was there let alone to bring her here. ‘Billy the Kid?’ He chuckled, that was enough and he wanted to leave.

‘Let’s go.’ He flicked his smoke away into the reeds and walked over and got on his bike, starting it up.

‘Do you remember Billy the Kid?’ She asked him again and he smiled as she climbed on behind him, gunning his bike. ‘What? I can’t hear you.’ He yelled above the engine, the smirk firmly set upon his face and he caught her smile back at him and he headed out of this god forsaken town and back to his cave.


	24. Never Again - Star's POV

Star woke up to find David still asleep next to her and it was strange for her, in the beginning she had been put out that he wouldn’t stay with her and now she wanted him to leave her alone. She rolled over and looked at him and was taken back at how he portrayed incorruptibility in sleep, he looked as if he was a kid who could do no wrong. He slept with his hands on his heart and he was dead still. Suddenly he opened his eyes, a distinct red ring within the blue, and he looked at her for a minute then the red faded and the blue took over.

‘Hello Starlight.’ She felt almost guilty being caught staring at him and she sat up looking for her singlet. He lay on his side and watched her get dressed and the odd domestic intimacy that it created made her wish he wouldn’t. ‘Go and get your things, we’re going to a motel to clean up and get you ready.’ He said getting up and putting his pants on, and she watched him head out to where the other boys slept. She was grateful he was giving her an opportunity to wash him off of her before she went to this stupid party, she’d been showering at multiple places during her time with David but she liked it best when she could use a motel, at least they were clean. She quickly walked to her corner of the cave and saw the bag on her bed and she grabbed it, along with some make up and her nicest jewellery, and went out to wait for him. He rode her up to a motel on the highway up to San Francisco and he pulled in, parking outside the reception office.

The motel owner looked at her like she was a hooker when David asked for the room for a couple of hours and David didn’t correct him when he made a snide comment either, which annoyed her. She walked straight into the room and into the bathroom, turning the shower on and getting in. The warm water comforted her and felt amazing on her skin making her not want to get out but when she heard David bang on the door and she got out. Before she could even dry herself, he came barging in on her and she quickly covered herself with a towel. ‘Didn’t wanna have a shower together?’ He deliberately embarrassed her and he got naked and into the shower. She wondered where the other boys washed, assuming other motels or maybe the houses of people they killed but that last option made her feel uncomfortable. She dried off and looked at the stupid bag holding the overpriced dress and dreaded putting it on. Then she thought about it, how was she supposed to ride on the back of his bike wearing that dress and those shoes? It wasn’t going to happen so she put her other clothing back on and sat on the bed waiting for him.

‘What are you doing? Why aren’t you dressed?’ He asked her coming out of the bathroom and she picked up on him tone straight away.

‘I can’t ride with you in that dress.’ She explained and he answered her without missing a beat.

‘You’re not, Paul is picking up a car and is coming to get us.’

‘David, this is crazy. I don’t even know who I’m supposed to be talking to or if it’s a private party or anything about this. Can’t you compel him to come out and speak to you? I don’t want to do this.’ She complained.

‘Don’t you dare question me! You will do as I say! Now get dressed!’ He exploded and he stormed out of the room. His reaction had shocked her and she began to tremble as she pulled the dress out and began to put it on followed by the heels. She did her makeup and was putting her hair up when David came back in. ‘Paul is here.’ He said and she was aware of him standing and staring at her but she tried to ignore him and he sat to put his boots on. She went to walk out of the room and he stopped her, standing in front of her with his hands on her upper arms and she felt awkward as he looked her over.

‘You look stunning.’ He said and he kissed her cheek. He scared her now. The enigma that was her boyfriend was becoming increasingly dissociative in nature and she wasn’t sure which David she would be dealing with at any point in time. Is this how they all were or was this just him? The others didn’t seem to be like this but then she wasn’t in a relationship with them. He opened the door for her and his act of chivalry was out of place, then she heard Paul wolf whistle at her and that was more typical of the boys behaviour. Paul had arrived in a gorgeous black mustang which suited him down to the ground, it made him look like the rock star he was, it was aggressive and loud but the music he had blaring was louder and David’s expression said it all.

‘I said subtle.’ David said, coming out of the door and Paul laughed.

‘Bro, I don’t do subtle.’ She smiled because the last thing Paul was, was subtle and she heard the door slam closed. David took her arm and guided her to the car.

‘Where are Dwayne and Marko?’ She asked, seeing they weren’t in the car and David told her they would meet them there then he told Paul to drive cause they didn’t have much time. The closer they got to the hotel, the stronger the butterflies in her stomach became and by the time Paul had pulled up just down the street from the Hilton and her legs were sufficiently shaking enough that she wasn’t sure that they would hold her up when she got out. They sat there for a few minutes until a man in his mid-twenties walked past the car and headed up towards the Hilton.

‘That’s him.’ David told her and she watched him, he was a young trendy guy who looked as normal as any other person walking down the street. For some reason she thought he would be like them or he would stand out in some way and knowing David as she did now, she couldn’t understand why he would have anything to do with anyone, let alone someone like him. He handed her some money and she felt so ill prepared to do what he was expecting from her. ‘Bring him out to the park. I will be waiting there for you.’ He told her and she opened the door, steeling herself for what she was about to do and she got out of the car. She walked up towards the hotel lobby and once inside she stopped, not knowing where to go or where he had gone to follow him and feeling very much the 17 year old girl she was. She was also unprepared for the stares she was getting from the other patrons in the place and she decided she needed some Dutch courage so she went to the bar upstairs and stood at the bar top waiting to be served when an older man came up behind her.

‘That dress is sensational.’ He said and she smiled. ‘Can I get you a drink?’

‘Ahh… sure. A glass of champagne.’ She said, glad that she did have to pay for it or deal with being asked for ID. She watched the bartenders every move, making sure it was a simple glass of champagne she was getting. She would never drink anything from anyone ever again after David’s ‘wine.’ The man paid for the drinks and he turned to her.

‘Cheers.’ He said. She clinked her glass with his and she took a sip. ‘So, what are you doing here?’

‘I was supposed to meet my friend here but I’m late and she’s not here. I don’t think she waited for me.’ Star said looking around.

‘That’s no good. What is your name?’

‘Star.’ She said unsure if she should be giving him her name, even if it was one given to her by David.

‘Well Star, I’m Pete. Would you like to come and meet some of my work colleagues? We’re having a party in the ballroom.’ He asked her standing to leave. She couldn’t believe her luck, she’d just been invited to the party she needed to go to.

‘Sure, if it’s OK?’

‘Of course it’s OK. It’s a work do and I’m the boss.’ He smiled a cheesy grin and she grabbed her glass and walked with him into the ballroom. It was a corporate affair with lots of suits and gowns and the way she was dressed, she fit right in.

‘What do you do?’ She asked him as they walked towards the back of the room.

‘I work for the Council.’ He smiled. ‘Come on, I’ll introduce you to my colleagues.’ City Council? What was David doing dealing with City Councillors? She knew this was off and she regretted giving him her name. He led her over to a table where two other gentlemen sat and they turned to look at her. ‘Star, this is Phil and Luis.’

‘Hi.’ She said and they both rose to shake her hand.

‘Hello Star.’ Phil said, raising an eyebrow.

‘Star.’ Luis said kissing her politely on the cheek.

‘Are you OK for a drink?’ Phil asked her.

‘Oh, I’m fine. Thank you.’ She smiled and they began to talk about business and it gave her a chance to scan the room for the man when suddenly a couple of women, easily in their forties, appeared in her line of vision.

‘So, who are you?’ One of them asked her while the other one looked her over, judging her.

‘My name is Star.’

‘Star?’ One of them mocked her. ‘What are you? A dancer?’ The ladies laughed at her. They both wore some serious jewellery but Star couldn’t tell if it was real or not.

‘No, I’m a model.’ She said, not knowing if she could even pass for a model but knowing it would make them insecure if they believed her.

‘A model?’ One of them asked her looking her up and down.

‘Well Miss Model, what are you doing here? You don’t work for the Council.’ The other one said.

‘Pete invited me.’ She said motioning over to Pete, who was busy talking with someone else.

‘You don’t belong here.’ The lady was saying exactly what Star was thinking and Star was just about to leave, regardless of what David wanted her to do.

‘Drop it Estelle. Go and be a bitch somewhere else.’ A man interrupted their conversation and she looked at him and it was the man she had been sent in to find. Estelle and her snotty friend strutted off and Star turned to him.

‘Thank you.’

‘Oh, don’t mention it. She is territorial and anyone who gets too close to Pete gets her back up, besides any chance to call Estelle a bitch is worth it.’ He winked at her and she smiled.

‘Are they together?’ She asked.

‘No, she would like to be though,’ She smiled at him, ‘his check book is just her size. What’s your name?’

‘Star.’ She said feeling self-conscious for the first time over it. She had never seen it as a dodgy name, especially the way David had given it to her but right now that’s all she could see it as. That was twice tonight she’d been made to feel like a whore.

‘Star? Is that your real name?’ He asked surprised.

‘Yeah.’ Sure, why not. It’s not like David was going to allow her to be long term friends with the guy so it didn’t matter what she told him.

‘Wow, pretty. Do you dance?’ He asked her.

‘I’m not a stripper.’ She said, suddenly and very seriously.

‘No, I mean would you like to dance?’ He smiled at her, motioning to the dance floor.

‘Oh, um, no thanks.’ She said sipping her drink. ‘What do you do at the Council?’ She asked wanting to get a clearer picture of who this guy was and why David would want to speak to him. Obviously David didn’t want to be seen with him which made her nervous.

‘I’m the Building Consent Manager.’ She nodded and finished her drink. Building Consent Manager. What was David doing, building a house?

‘Would you like another drink?’ He offered her.

‘No, I’m OK.’ She looked at his hand. Marko had said he was married but there was no sign of a ring.

‘You sure? It’s an open bar?’ He tried to tempt her but she just smiled and shook her head. The first one had gone straight to her head and she needed to focus and work out how she was going to slip him out of the room with her. ‘Well, you won’t dance with me and you don’t want another drink and this party is pretty stale, perhaps you would like to join me for a little something else?’ She didn’t know what he meant but she saw him pat his pocket and she clicked and she saw her opening.’

‘Ahh… Sure.’ She said. ‘But not in here. How about we go outside?’

‘Outside?’ He asked. ‘Not very private.’

‘Yeah, I need some fresh air.’ She moved closer to him and placed her hand on his chest. ‘Would you like to come outside with me?’ He looked into her eyes, his eyes flicking from one to the other and he smiled and she knew she had him. He followed her out and down to the lobby. ‘There’s a park just down the road. Let’s go there.’ She said and he blindly followed.

‘Where are you from?’ He asked once they were outside.

‘Here.’ She said walking towards the park.

‘Here as in San Francisco?’

‘Yeah.’ She said absently looking around the park to see if she could spot any of the boys but she couldn’t.

‘Aren’t you a little scared of being here with me, in the dark all alone?’ He said getting out the bag of white powder.

‘Why would she be?’ David’s voice came out of the darkness and they both turned towards him. 

‘Who are you?’ Raoul jumped and was confused. ‘Is he a nark?!’ He looked at Star, demanding to know.

‘Do I look like a cop?’ David laughed at the man. ‘Star come here.’ He said and Star walked to David’s side leaving the man standing there alone. Suddenly Star heard a screeching sound and she jumped as the man disappeared up and away, and she knew one of the boys had come and taken him.

‘Where is he?’ She asked him shocked. ‘I thought you just wanted to speak to him?’

‘Dwayne is having a little chat with him.’ David said walking towards the road.

‘So he’s going to be alright?’ She asked looking behind her.

‘Sure.’ David said but she didn’t believe him. They’d taken him to kill him, she was sure of it. Why else would they take him if David just wanted to talk to him? David had used her as bait. He strode back over to the car and he leaned against it lighting a cigarette. The car had been parked down an alleyway round the corner from the Hilton and it was relatively dark. She wouldn’t have stood there had David not been with her.

‘What are we doing?’ She asked looking down the street.

‘Waiting for Paul.’ He said looking down the street also. A car pulled up and parked a couple of feet away and a man got out and approached them.

‘How much?’ Both David and Star turned their heads and looked at him with blank faces. ‘For her, how much?’ The man clarified. She looked at David as he pushed off the car and walked towards him and she held her breath over what he was going to do.

‘$300’ David said and Star couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Was he offering to sell her?

‘Is that for everything?’ The man said getting out his wallet.

‘$300 for a fuck. $400 and you can do what you want for the night.’ The rage was building inside her and she folded her arms across her chest ready to walk away.

‘Including bare back? I wanna cum all inside that one’ The man said and she felt sick.

‘Bare back is $500.’ David said and she smacked him. She was no one’s fucking prostitute! The man looked at her and he excitedly got the money out of his wallet. David took the folded bills and turned away from him. ‘Now, fuck off.’

‘What?’ The man said to him.

‘Did you not hear me?’ David stalked back towards him dead serious. ‘I told you to fuck off. No one touches my girl but me, you disrespectful fuck, and if you don’t get the fuck out of here, you will never see daylight again.’ He was staunch in his demeanour and the man began to falter.

‘I’m going to call the police if you don’t give me my money back.’ The man made the mistake of saying and David gave him a king hit straight to the throat and the man dropped like a stone on the ground, choking with blood filling and spilling out from his mouth.

‘Fuck this.’ David said and he broke into Paul’s car and hotwired it telling her to get in. He drove like a maniac back down towards the motel where he’d left his bike. ‘Go in and get changed. I’ll be back.’ He said as he drove off in the car. She walked into the room and with what had just happened with her name and the man on the street, she was left feeling cheap and dirty and she was happy to take that dress off and never wear it again. In fact, she’d never wear another red dress again. She got changed into her usual clothing and shoved the dress and the shoes back into the bag, collected her things and went outside to see David was back and he was sitting on his bike looking very pissed off. He saw her come out and he started the bike and looked at her to get on, which she did, and he took off towards Santa Carla without saying anything. Roughly an hour later they rode past a sign that said Los Gatos and she was confused. What were they doing in Los Gatos? David rode around the old town and pulled up outside a house and he sat there and stared at it for the longest time before he left and rode to the upper Los Gatos Creek and pulled over at a rest stop. She got off while he sat there for a minute before he got off.

‘What are we doing here?’ She asked him and he took the bag with the dress and the shoes and he dumped them in a garbage bin then walked over near the stream and stood there staring into the water. She sat down on a bench seat and she looked around the area, at the surrounding swamplands, trees and water and she realised obviously he liked to be around water. The frogs croaked in the reeds and she watched him. He seemed so contemplative she wondered what this place meant to him and she realised that he was somewhere else, in another time and reliving a memory that she had no knowledge of. He almost looked sad to her.

‘Are you OK?’ She asked and he flinched a little at the sound of her voice and he hesitated before answering her.

‘This is where I was turned.’ She was blown away by his admission and that he’d even told her, she didn’t know what to say. ‘I haven’t been back here since that night.’ She wondered who else he’d told this to.

‘When were you turned?’ She asked him, not confident he would tell her.

‘A long time ago.’ He said after a long pause and she saw a minute shake of his head. ‘I’m older than you think Star.’ She was interested in his life pre vampire.

‘How old are you?’ She asked and he turned to look at her. ‘Do you remember JFK?’

‘I’m older than that.’ He tilted his head and she felt stupid asking that.

‘World War 2?’ He smiled and nodded. ‘World War 1?’ His smile faded and he nodded. ‘Titanic?’ He looked down and nodded. Holy shit, he remembered the Titanic sinking; he was really old. She didn’t know if she should keep pushing but she asked him one more time. ‘Billy the Kid?’ He laughed and turned around to walk to his bike.

‘Let’s go.’ He told her and he mounted his bike.

‘Do you remember Billy the Kid?’ She asked him again, getting on the back of his bike and he revved the engine loud.

‘What? I can’t hear you.’ He said to her smirking and she smiled back. OK, yeah, he was old. There was a depth to him that she had failed to recognise and it made her appreciate the wisdom and experience he held. He was suddenly a far more complex being than what she’d given him credit for and she felt like she’d just shared in something that was important to him. They headed back to Santa Carla to meet the boys.


	25. Ultimatium - David's POV

Max called a meeting with the boys as soon as it was reported that Raoul had gone ‘missing’ and they met out at the railway tracks, David making sure they were late on purpose.

‘You’re late.’ Max said but, to both David’s surprise and annoyance, he wasn’t angry.

‘I know.’ David said walking towards his elder, the others following him.

‘You boys did well, and fast, how’d you do it?’ Max asked David and he seemed happy to see him for once.

‘Does it matter? The guy’s dead.’ David said, full of disinterested attitude.

‘I want to know David. Are they going to find a body?’ Max asked.

‘Do they ever?’ David was being deliberately evasive and Max knew it. Max stood there waiting for his answer and David knew he’d wait there all night until he got it, whereas David just wanted to leave. ‘Dwayne and Marko took care of him.’ Max looked surprised at this.

‘Did anyone see you with him?’ He asked Dwayne and Dwayne shook his head.

‘How did you get to him?’ Max asked and David rolled his eyes and sighed. ‘I need to know details about this one David, it is a precarious situation.’

‘Star made contact and she brought him to us.’ David admitted and Max smiled.

‘Has she turned yet?’ David looked over his shoulder back at the boys out of the corner of his eyes and barely shook his head.

‘No? Well at least you’ve found a use for her.’ His comment jaded him and made him think of the man in the street in San Francisco.

‘That it?’ David asked ready to leave.

‘For now.’ David turned and began to walk away. ‘How was Los Gatos? Enjoy your trip down memory lane?’ Max asked and David stopped dead in his tracks. He hated that Max could still do that. It made him feel like he was still Max’s child and it fucked David off. ‘I’ll see you soon David.’ Max added and he got in his car and drove off. David continued back to his bike and they all took off to feed then after they had disposed of the bodies and cleaned themselves up, they sat and chilled for a bit. The boys had noticed David’s ongoing mood wasn’t improving and they were struggling as to how to address it until Marko spoke.

‘What’s wrong with you?’ David sucked in a hit of smoke before he answered.

‘Nothing.’ David said curtly.

‘What happened in San Francisco?’ Dwayne asked him and David looked at Dwayne then at Marko and back out to sea. He could put Marko off but not Dwayne.

‘Some cunt asked me how much to fuck Star.’ David said.

‘What?’ Paul laughed. ‘When?’

‘While we were waiting for you.’

‘Is that why you ditched me?’ Paul asked him.

‘How much?’ Marko pushed and David flicked him a filthy look.

‘Did you let him?’ Paul followed, hoping for a story.

‘No, I took his money and killed him.’ David said, almost amused at the memory. ‘But I killed him in the street.’ The boys went silent. ‘I know, bad form, but he fucked me off. I got no problem with hookers, you guys know that, but I’d never be with one. My girl is no one’s whore and I will not have anyone propositioning her or touching her or doing anything with her. That includes you lot.’ Although he’d said it to all of them, he’d more so said it to Paul. Dwayne had too much integrity to do that to David and Marko all but hated her and it wasn’t that he didn’t trust Paul, he’d just seen the connection between the two of them and he wasn’t going to let it grow. Star was his toy and he wanted everyone to know it. ‘She just needs to fucking turn, then I won’t need to worry about her.’ David was sick of waiting and it was well known that David didn’t wait for anyone. They all sat there contemplating what he’d just said, it was unheard of for David to make such a mistake and it proved to them how wound up he was over her.

‘What were you doing in Los Gatos?’ Dwayne asked him and David shot his eyes at his intuitive brother and Dwayne instantly saw that it wasn’t something David was willing to talk about. Dwayne knew about Los Gatos and he was blown away that now Star knew too.

**0o0**

Over the next few days David’s mood just got worse and he was pushing her harder to turn but she still resisted. Then he realised what he needed was leverage, an ultimatum to force her hand and then he would get what he wanted. He awoke and hung there for a while thinking about his next move and his thoughts came back to a child, someone small who wouldn’t put up a fight or take too much to kill. If she still wouldn’t go through with it, then he’d turn the kid and leave her to look after it. Prostitutes didn’t have kids following around after them. It would eliminate any misconception of her and make her look more wholesome and normal, maybe like an older sister, but definitely not for sale. Then if the kid killed, she’d turn for sure, he couldn’t imagine a kid having much will power and he knew she was close too, he’d seen it in her eyes. He dropped down and woke the boys in doing so, and they all walked out to the main cave and he saw Star sitting on her bed looking through another one of Dwayne’s sketching pads, only this one was his hidden sketch pad.

‘Did you give that to her?’ David silently asked Dwayne and Dwayne shook his head staring at her unimpressed she had it and they approached her curtains and stepped inside.

‘What are you doing?’ He disturbed her and she quickly slammed the book and turned to faced them but said nothing. ‘Star?’

‘I… um… was just looking at some more of your drawings.’ She handed the book back to Dwayne with a shaking hand. ‘I’m sorry.’ She said and David could feel Dwayne’s annoyance. He would have spat at her but David wasn’t in the mood and he just couldn’t do this right now, he had to leave. He had to hunt and go find a kid to put his plan into place. ‘Stay here with Paul. We’re going out.’ He looked at Paul and glared at him before he left with the other two. They fed off some drunks downtown and it left all of them feeling a bit off their game, and David with a headache which didn’t help his mood any. They went down to LA to find a kid, David knew well enough not to shit in his own backyard and that if he was seen walking around with a kid who had gone missing in Santa Carla, it would draw unwanted attention. There was enough of that going on already. Max was going to be a big enough obstacle let alone the police, not that the missing persons unit in Santa Carla did anything, they had contributed enough to the missing persons board on the Boardwalk to know that. They went to Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier and there was a band playing down there, some chick band who were popular in LA, The Bangles or something. David was grateful Paul wasn’t with them, he’d just be distracted by the short skirts singing on stage. They filtered through the people scattered along the pier and went down the end out in front of the restaurant. David looked out to the ocean and the moon glinting and reflecting off it and he began to question what he was doing, when Dwayne nudged his arm and he turned around to see a young kid, about ten or eleven, who was watching the cartoon artist draw some people. His parents had wandered off without him and Dwayne walked up and stood near him.

‘What do you think?’ Dwayne asked him.

‘It’s good. It looks just like them.’ The boy said and he looked up at him and his eyes lit up a little that someone like Dwayne would talk to him.

‘Nah, I could do better.’ Dwayne said and the artist gave him a scowl and the boy looked him up and down.

‘You don’t look like an artist.’ The boy said to him.

'Oh yeah, and what does an artist look like?’ Dwayne asked him as he walked off and the boy followed him.

‘Not like you. You look different. Would you draw me?’ He asked, trotting along like a little puppy dog.

‘Sure, but I’m going to play down at the arcade for a bit with my friends, wanna come?’ David and Marko were waiting by the railing and Dwayne pointed over to them and the boy looked at them, a little uncertain. ‘They’re not that scary, the one with the long hair kills at Air Hockey.’

‘Come on Dwayne.’ David said and he walked off towards the arcade.

‘What’s your name kid?’ Dwayne asked him.

‘Laddie, people call me Laddie. I don’t have any money though.’

‘You don’t need to worry about that kid.’ Dwayne smiled.

‘Come on, let’s go play.’ Dwayne said gently pulling on his jacket and the boy went with him. They entered the arcade and Laddie ran over to the air hockey table but there was a guy sitting on it. The boys walked over to it and they guy looked at David and without David even saying anything the dude got off and sulked away. Laddie looked up at David with amazement in his eyes and David glanced down at him.

‘You playing or what?’ David asked him and the boy ran around and picked up the puck and put it on the table. ‘Marko, you’re up.’

They played for a short while and David quickly realised this was the kid he was looking for. He saw the parents come looking around the arcade and he stood so he was blocking their view of Laddie and they left in a panic. Laddie appeared so enamoured with the Dwayne and Marko that he’d lost all interest in anything but being around them. David knew it was going to be easy to get him to come with them and once he saw their bikes it was sold. David could practically hear his heart beat quicken in excitement when Dwayne asked him if he’d like a ride. They kicked it back up the coast and arrived in half the time it took them to get down there. David jumped off and silently entered the cave to see Paul with his arm around Star and he stood there still as if he was poised to strike. What the fuck were they doing?

‘Comfortable?’ David said and he watched Paul’s arm drop instantly and Star turn her head to look at him. Paul stood up and raised his hands in surrender.

‘I was just talking to her man.’ Was Paul stupid? David was in no mood to have his orders challenged or disobeyed and he had no problem in telling Paul so. 

‘If I see your arm around her again, I’ll cut it off.’ He was deadly serious as he took two steps towards the two of them. ‘Go and eat.’ He told Paul and Paul went to leave but as he walked past David, David noticed the new silver adorning Paul’s ear and his jealousy surged. It was bad enough she had done one for Dwayne as well as David but now Paul. ‘Nice earring.’ David said without looking at him and Paul paused, knowing it was a thinly veiled warning then he left. David maintained his stare on his girlfriend and she stood to face him. She didn’t look guilty but she did look nervous and then he saw her face change as the other two walked into the cave with the little boy. Her face displayed shock to confusion and finally dismay at the little boys presence and David laughed maliciously.

‘Star, meet Laddie. Laddie, this is my girlfriend Star.’ He watched Laddie walk over to Star wanting to be accepted by the girl.

‘Hi.’ He said looking up at her and she smiled at him.

‘Hi Laddie.’ She bent down to talk to him and David slumped down into his chair and pulled out a smoke.

‘Do you like my bear? Dwayne won it for me.’

‘Yeah, he’s great. Laddie, how old are you?’ She asked and David narrowed his eyes at her as he smoked.

‘Ten.’ The boy, absent minded, answered her.

‘Ten…’ She looked back at David and he gave her a blank yet powerful stare. ‘Where are your parents?’

‘Laddie wanted to hang with us, didn’t you kid.’ David interrupted, flicking his eyes onto the boy.

‘Yeah, and Dwayne asked me if I liked arcade games and they let me play with them and then he took me for a ride on his bike.’ David smiled smugly as she scrutinized him while Laddie spoke. The kid was saying exactly what David wanted him to say. Marko called Laddie over to him and showed him his birds and David relaxed in his chair and put out his cigarette. He called to Paul to come back and to bring some food with him when he returned and when he looked up, he saw Star walking swiftly towards him.

‘What are you doing? Why is he here?’ There was an urgency in her voice as if her opinion was going to make a difference to him.

‘He’s going to be your first.’ He burned her with his stare, she was questioning him again and he was in a raw mood as it was without her pushing him any further. Didn’t she get that? He saw something change in her and she shook her head and her eyes began to water. He felt a sense of satisfaction at her reaction and a boost of power knowing he was railroading her into doing what he wanted her to. ‘You will Star. You won’t like the alternative.’ He felt totally in control and that’s just the way he liked it. She began to back away from him but he wasn’t going to let her get away or avoid him and what he had planned for her. ‘Star.’ He compelled her and she stopped. ‘Sit down.’ He watched her sit down rigidly on the couch opposite him then Laddie came over and sat next to her, so close he was touching her.

‘How long have you lived here?’ The kid asked her.

‘A few months.’ She replied.

‘Where are your parents?’ He asked and David watched in intrigue at their interaction and at what she was going to say.

‘Ahhh… They died.’ He watched her closely as she answered but he wasn’t expecting what Laddie did next.

‘It’s OK, my brother died too.’ David tilted his head at the boy’s words. ‘Is that a skateboard?’ Laddie skipped over to Dwayne’s skateboard. ‘Who’s is this?’

‘It’s mine.’ Dwayne told him and he shook Laddie’s hair like an older brother would.

‘Can you ride it?’

‘Can I ride it…’ Dwayne laughed and David knew he was going to impress him with his skills. The kid was mesmerised as Dwayne did his thing and David looked back at Star to see her face tinged with fear at the idolisation Laddie was quickly developing with Dwayne. She looked back at him and directly into his eyes and he could read her like a book. She expressed hopelessness over the situation and he knew she knew he had the upper hand here and there was nothing she could do about it. He heard Paul come in and his arrival drew the attention of all the others but David held fast to her gaze despite the intrusion. Paul placed the food down and everyone began to eat and David heard Paul ask who Laddie was and Dwayne tell him but he paid them no mind until he broke off his stare off with Star and he pulled out his millionth cigarette for the day and lit it, moving his attention to the boys and watching them eat.

‘Aren’t you hungry?’ Laddie asked Star after a while when he noticed she wasn’t eating. David backed him up sensing an opportunity to get in a dig at her.

‘Yes Star, eat. I know you’re dying to feed.’ David mocked her with his double meaning and she gave him a resentful look which just egged him on. ‘You don’t know the extent of which I will go if you don’t.’ He changed his tone to one of underlying seriousness which he knew she had picked up on.

‘I’m not hungry Laddie, but you eat as much as you can.’ Her voice wavered as she spoke.

‘What’s he doing here?’ Paul voice appeared in David’s head after they’d eaten.

‘The ball is in her court now Paul.’ David answered him. ‘Come on Star.’ He said aloud and she shook her head at him and she began to get upset. For fucks sake, he was a kid, no one important and her consistent resistance was fucking him off. David had even brought the meal to her, he had made it so easy for her and there was no reason to deny him now. If she needed a push, he was more than willing to give it to her. He pulled out his wine and drank some. ‘Want some?’ He asked her malevolently and he offered the bottle to her, the corner of his mouth curling up.

‘Can I have some?’ Laddie asked him and he slid his eyes to the boy before he answered.

‘Sure kid.’ Star shot him a death stare and he looked back at her. ‘Unless Star objects. What do you say Star?’ The pressure filled silence he had created was penetrating her and he could tell she was paralysed as to what to do.

‘Please Star? I’m thirsty.’ Laddie’s pleading was perfect and was just exacerbating the situation.

‘This is it Star, it’s either you or him.’ David spoke to her mentally and he saw her hands begin to shake.

‘Um… how about we find you something else?’ She said to the boy, looking around.

‘Why? I’ve got this right here.’ He leaned forward. ‘Stop stalling Star, what’s it gonna be?’ He’d had enough and it was time for her to make her decision.

‘David, please don’t do this.’ She said to him quietly and he gave her his most uncaring expression as he handed the bottle to Laddie. Laddie looked at her and she glanced from Laddie back to David. ‘I hate you.’ She said taking aim at him and she stood up and walked over to her bed.

‘Drink up kid.’ David told the kid and he smiled triumphantly as Laddie took a large sip.

‘Ew, this tastes funny.’ Laddie said and David smiled. Dwayne, Marko and Paul all gave each other looks of consternation, not quite believing what their leader was doing. Why the fuck would he want a kid hanging around? This was even somewhat fucked up in their eyes.

‘Don’t worry about it kid, you’ll get used to it.’ David grabbed Laddie’s jacket by the collar and walked him over towards Star. ‘Would you like to stay here with us for a while?’

‘Sure.’ Laddie yawned. ‘Can we go back to the arcade tomorrow?’

‘Star will take you to a better one.’

‘Can I go for a ride with Dwayne again? He’s cool.’ Laddie rubbed his eyes.

‘We’ll see kid.’ David told him. We’ll see if you make it through the night with the way Star’s eyes glinted when she caught a whiff of his bottle. ‘Come and sleep here.’ David patted Star’s bed and Laddie jumped up.

‘Oh, I forgot my bear.’ He got down and wandered off to find his toy and David towered over her with superiority pouring out of him.

‘Why are you doing this? If you want to punish me, punish me but why couldn’t you leave him alone.’ She asked him.

‘He is your punishment. You wouldn’t do it, now he’s your problem.’ He enjoyed the confusion and terror on her face then Laddie came back hugging his bear. ‘Sleep here tonight kid and Star will get you another bed tomorrow.’ He glanced once more at her, his smirk firmly planted on his face. .

‘Are you alright Star?’ Laddie asked her.

‘Yeah.’ She said. David walked back to the main cave, not interested in any more of Star’s pouting. He had her trapped now, she was going to have to kill, or try and refrain from killing while she either helped a kid to keep from killing or watch him do it himself. Either way, she would succumb, she wouldn’t be able to not succumb. Next would be explaining this to Max.


	26. Ultimatium - Star's POV

It had been a week since they had been in San Francisco but something had changed in David and she found he was being more possessive over her than he’d ever been before. She wasn’t allowed anywhere on her own anymore and he was monitoring everything she did, who she spoke to and even what she wore. It had gotten so bad that he was even controlling what interaction the boys were having with her which was making things awkward and had her feeling like she was consuming too much of David’s attention, upsetting the dynamic between the boys. She didn’t know why he was acting like this but she felt like David was being way over the top and she’d told him so, and he made it very clear that it was not up for discussion. He had also begun to pressure her more to complete her transition and turn, getting angry when she wouldn’t commit to doing it, so she had been spending more time in her space and in her own little world while in the cave when they were home instead of with the boys. Dwayne took quiet notice of David’s altered state but did nothing to stop it and Paul and Marko continued on as if nothing was different. She’d been awake for an hour and there was no sign of the boys yet so she got up and walked around the cave and cleaned up a little, the boys were about as domesticated as stray dogs and once she’d gotten rid of the empty beer bottles, food cartons and David’s stray cigarette butts, she sat down and felt a bit lost as to what to do. She looked around and spotted Dwayne’s stack of sketching pads and she glanced around to see if the boys were coming out or if she was silently being watched and, finding she was still alone, she went and looked over Dwayne’s other sketching books, then she noticed one that was almost hidden behind a surfboard leaning against the wall and she picked it up and went back to her bed and opened it. The sketches within these pages were a lot darker in nature and they disturbed her. There were bodies lying in blood, gruesome holes bitten out of torsos and burning limbs hanging out of a pit of fire and these images made her feel cold and sick but, not as much as seeing the next ones. They were of the boys in full vampire form, some looking as though they’d just fed and others looking like they were on the hunt but all were full of evil. She studied them, their eyes, their teeth, their enhanced bone structure and she involuntarily shivered. They were truly scary, bone chillingly so, and she prayed she’d never see them like that again.

‘What are you doing?’ She quickly slammed the book closed and stood up and spun around. David and Dwayne stood just inside the curtains with Paul and Marko just behind them. ‘Star?’ David demanded.

‘I… um… was just looking at some more of your drawings.’ She handed the book back to Dwayne. ‘I’m sorry.’ Dwayne took it without saying anything and the depth of their stare upon her was excruciating and she knew she’d done wrong again.

‘Don’t touch his shit again.’ David’s tone was ice cold. ‘Stay here with Paul.’ he said turning and walking away from her. ‘We’re going out.’ He walked up and out of the cave without saying goodbye. Dwayne put his pad back and he and Marko followed him out.

‘Tsk tsk… That was naughty. No one looks at Dwayne’s stuff without his permission.’ Paul teased her and she walked out to the main room.

‘But he showed me his other ones?’ She pleaded her case.

‘Ah, but not that one. You’d be best to keep your hands to yourself from now on.’ Paul advised her. ‘You better not be touching my stash girly.’ She stood there looking like a little girl being told off. ‘I want one.’ He threw her a small silver sword earring and she looked at him confused.

‘You want me to pierce your ear?’ She asked.

‘Yeah. I’m feeling left out.’ She smiled.

‘Well, we can’t have that, can we?’ She said getting out her stuff and preparing it. She told him to sit down and she pushed the needle through his ear.

‘Ow!’ He deliberately overreacted.

‘Don’t be a wimp.’ She said. He bled a little and she watched the blood for a second and had to resist the urge to taste it before she wiped it away and it didn’t go unnoticed by Paul. She became aware he was staring at her and she snapped out of it. ‘Where have they gone?’ She asked him.

‘Out.’ He answered getting up and putting on some music, it was the Cure and she was surprised he was into the Cure. She sat on the edge of the fountain.

‘Why won’t Dwayne let anyone see his work? He’s a really talented artist.’

‘Dwayne is an old school Indian and he believes in a lot of the old traditions.’ Paul said tapping his hand on his knees to the music.

‘Like...’ She prompted him for more information. Dwayne was an interesting man, he never said much but yet he seemed to hold so much power and inner strength within him. She wondered how David had met Dwayne, how he’d met all of them.

‘Like when you capture their image, it takes part of their soul. That more relates to photographs but he’s still a little superstitious when it comes to his pictures. I don’t know. He has premonitions too.’ She sat and contemplated why it was he had allowed her to view them then.

‘Paul, how did you meet David?’ She asked him.

‘Ha, drugs girl. I sold him something one day and we got talking and ended up getting fucked up and going out and the next thing I knew…’ Of course that’s how they met, it was just such a typical Paul story and she smiled and looked down as she thought about David.

‘What’s wrong with David?’ She continued to stare at the ground as she asked the question.

‘Huh’ Paul asked, preoccupied with his new jewellery.

‘Why is he being so controlling?’ She asked him.

‘Ha, we are talking about the same David, right? That’s just him girl, he is controlling. But he’s worse because of that guy in San Francisco. That threw him and he ain’t gonna let it happen again. At least that’s what he said.’ He slung his arm around her shoulder. ‘And he wants you to turn, he’s waited long enough. You gotta feed Star, that’s something you don’t have a choice over.’ She placed her hand at her forehead and groaned. ‘Look, it’s not that bad, it’s kinda fun and we all got over it. Besides, the thirst will get you in the end... or David will and honestly, I’d let the thirst get ya before he did.’ He joked.

‘Comfortable?’ David’s voice echoed through the cave and Paul’s arm dropped and his eyes closed. Speak of the Devil… Star looked over at David and he just stood there staring at them.

‘I was just talking to her, man.’ Paul stood up to plead his innocence to him and David just stood there, judging him.

‘If I see your arm around her again, I’ll cut it off.’ Star looked away, sure he was serious, even though Paul was his brother. David was in a feral mood again tonight. ‘Go and eat.’ Paul walked past David on his way out. ‘Nice earring.’ David noted just as Paul had walked near the entrance and Paul turned his head and glanced at him one last time then he left. David had maintained his gaze on Star and she looked back up towards him in time to see Dwayne come down with Marko and a little boy, who was looking a bit shy but very interested in the boys and now the cave. He was a small kid with long straight shoulder length hair, wearing a military styled jacket that was a little too big for him and he was clutching a brown soft toy teddy bear. She looked at David and he laughed at her but it wasn’t friendly and made her feel uneasy.

‘Star, meet Laddie.’ He took his jacket off and Star looked at Dwayne then down at Laddie. ‘Laddie, this is my girlfriend Star.’ Laddie walked over to Star.

‘Hi.’ He had gorgeous grey eyes that looked at her from behind his long bangs and she couldn’t help but smile.

‘Hi Laddie.’ She said, crouching down to his level.

‘Do you like my bear? Dwayne won it for me.’ He held up his toy and she smiled again.

‘Yeah, he’s great. Laddie, how old are you?’ She asked him.

‘Ten.’ He said playing with the arms on the bear.

‘Ten…’ She looked over at David, who sat smugly smoking a cigarette and watching her. ‘Where are your parents?’

‘Laddie wanted to hang with us, didn’t you kid.’ David answered for him and she knew he was embellishing the truth.

‘Yeah, and David asked me if I liked arcade games and they let me play with them. Then Dwayne took me for a ride on his bike.’ Laddie excitedly said and she looked back at David with narrowed eyes. David never spoke to the street kids or anybody really and he never offered anybody anything. What was this kid doing here? There was something very wrong with this situation and she feared what purpose he was serving David.

‘Laddie, come here.’ Marko called out to the boy and Laddie bounced over to him and he watched as Marko hand fed some of the pigeons. Star couldn’t help herself and she walked over to David and confronted him.

‘What are you doing? Why is he here?’ She said quietly, not wanting to scare the boy but demanding to know at the same time.

‘He’s going to be your first.’ He said simply, glaring up at her and her heart sank. She wasn’t going to kill anyone, let alone a sweet little boy like Laddie. She shook her head, her eyes watering at the situation she was rapidly finding herself in. ‘You will, Star. You won’t like the alternative.’ He said in his low calm voice and she felt chills run down her spine. Her breathing quickened as her panic rose and she backed away to go and sit on her bed. ‘Star.’ He said loud enough to attract the attention of the little boy and she froze. ‘Sit down.’ David motioned to the couch and she sat down, feeling sick. Laddie came and sat next to her, a little closer than she was expecting.

‘How long have you lived here?’ Laddie asked her.

‘A few months.’ She said glancing down at him, trying to speak normally so he didn’t pick up on anything being wrong.

‘Where are your parents?’ He asked in his little voice and his question caught her by surprise.

‘Ahhh… They died.’ She reluctantly answered and the little boy placed his hand on hers.

‘It’s OK, my brother died too.’ She looked at him, a little shocked and he smiled at her. ‘I’ll be your friend.’ He said and she felt like crying. ‘Is that a skateboard?’ He jumped up and picked it up. ‘Who’s is this?’

‘It’s mine.’ Dwayne told him shaking his hand through Laddie’s hair.

‘Can you ride it?’ He asked with bright eyes.

‘Can I ride it…’ Dwayne laughed at the boys comment and he began doing spin flips and hangs off the board and Laddie’s face lit up. Dwayne was really good and she could tell that Laddie thought the world of him already. She looked over to David and he was sitting there staring at her and their eyes locked. He looked superior and arrogant in what he had orchestrated and she felt nothing but despair and a tinge of hatred for him. The little boy didn’t deserve to die, he’d done nothing wrong and thankfully he was blissfully ignorant to the plan David had for him. This wasn’t fair, but she had learned that nothing David did was fair for anyone other than him and his definition of fairness was questionable at best. Suddenly there was a scuffle of feet at the entrance and Paul jumped down into the cave carrying a large bundle of fish and chips but David still didn’t break his eye contact with her. Paul dumped the food on the table and began unwrapping it and the other boys gathered around to eat except David, who continued to sit there watching her.

‘Who’s the midget?’ Paul asked and Dwayne placed his hand on Laddie’s shoulder.

‘This is Laddie. Kid, this is Paul.’ Dwayne already had a nickname for Laddie.

‘Hey little man, want some food?’ Paul asked him and his ease in accepting the little boy’s presence both pleased and concerned her. Laddie sat between Paul and Dwayne and began to eat a hot dog and she consoled herself with the thought at least he was happy because she couldn’t stand it if he was sitting there terrified. David pulled out a cigarette and sat there smoking it, watching the interaction happening before him. Star sat back also, the smell of the fried food making her feel a little ill.

‘Aren’t you hungry?’ Laddie asked her.

‘Yes Star, eat. I know you’re dying to feed.’ David laughed at her and she glared at him, his eyes glinting in the candle light back at her. ‘You don’t know the extent of which I will go if you don’t.’ It was the second time he’d alluded to an ultimatum and she felt the tears begin to well up and she forced herself to control them, crying would be the worst thing for her to do right now.

‘I’m not hungry Laddie, but you eat as much as you want.’ She encouraged him. Once the food had been consumed, Laddie sat going through Paul’s music stash while the boys sat around eerily quiet and it felt like they were waiting for something, they were waiting for her to kill Laddie. Well, they would be waiting a very long time because there was no way she was ever going to do that. Laddie yawned and she realised it must be past 1am and that it was really late for a ten year old.

‘Come on Star.’ David told her and she shook her head and a small tear slipped down her cheek knowing that if she didn’t, David would probably do it for her and he’d make her watch. David’s face soured and he was pissed again, then he shocked her by pulling out his bottle, his wine, the same he’d used to turn her and he drank some. She looked away and angrily wiped the tear off her face. ‘Want some?’ He asked her acrimoniously and all she wanted to do was scream at him to fuck off.

‘Can I have some?’ Laddie asked and David flipped again.

‘Sure kid.’ David said and she shot her glance back at David with panic in her eyes. ‘Unless Star objects.’ David looked up at Star. ‘What do you say Star?’ She couldn’t breathe. Was this his ultimatum? Was he going to turn this kid if she didn’t kill him? No. Oh God, this couldn’t be happening.

‘Please Star?’ Laddie asked her. ‘I’m thirsty.’

‘This is it Star, it’s either you or him.’ David’s voice appeared in her head and her mouth went dry. She didn’t know what to do, she didn’t know what to say to stop this and no matter what she said, David was going to do it anyways. Why weren’t the boys stepping in? He was only a child.

‘Um… how about we find you something else?’ She suggested.

‘Why? I’ve got this right here. Stop stalling Star, what’s it gonna be?’ The pressure she was feeling was insane and she just wanted to grab Laddie and run.

‘David, please don’t do this.’ She said quietly and he handed Laddie the bottle. Laddie looked at her and she glanced from Laddie back to David. ‘I hate you.’ She said as she stood up and walked over to her bed.

‘Drink up kid.’ She heard David say and she sat on her bed and closed her eyes, her body beginning to shake.

‘Ew, this tastes funny.’ Laddie said and she buried her head into her pillow and cried angry tears. Tears she didn’t want Laddie or David to see.

‘Don’t worry about it kid, you’ll get used to it.’ David said and she wiped her face and looked back to see David walking the boy towards her. ‘Would you like to stay here with us for a while?’

‘Sure.’ Laddie said yawning again. 'Can we go back to the arcade tomorrow?'

'Star will take you to a better one.' She knew he was talking about the Boardwalk but what was she supposed to do with him? Surely someone will notice that all of a sudden she was hanging with a little boy? And his parents would be looking for him, but then again, she had no idea where David had found him so maybe not.

'Can I go for a ride with Dwayne again? He's cool.' The little boy said looking over towards Dwayne as his fist gnawed at his eye socket.

‘We'll see kid. Come and sleep here.’ David pat Star’s bed and Laddie jumped up.

‘Oh, I forgot my bear.’ He jumped off and went to get his bear.

‘Why are you doing this? If you want to punish me, punish me but why couldn’t you leave him alone.’ She asked him quickly, out of ear shot of the little boy.

‘He is your punishment. You wouldn’t do it, now he’s your problem.’ What? What did he mean, he was her problem? Laddie came running back and jumped on her bed and lay down. She stared utter disbelief at David and looked over at the other boys who were all looking sideways at what David was doing. ‘Sleep here tonight kid and Star will get you another bed tomorrow.’ He said looking over at Star and Laddie looked at her also.

‘Are you alright Star?’ Laddie asked her, sounding unsure.

‘Yeah.’ She tried to shake her shock off and smiled at the boy then placed a blanket on top of him. She watched him lie there and hold his bear while David walked off.

'Star?’ He looked up at her.

‘Yeah Laddie?’ She leaned closer to him.

‘I like it here but I wanna go home tomorrow.’ Star swallowed at his words and wiped the hair off his face.

‘Oh sweetheart, go to sleep and things will be better tomorrow.’ Oh God, what has he done? She was numb with the lengths he’d gone to and now she had a child to look after, a child who was going to feel the pain and the thirst and eventually the urge to kill and she looked away again, tears falling down her cheeks.


	27. Warnings and Defiance - David's POV

David woke up tired, he’d only had a couple of hours sleep as he’d been ploughing Star’s head all night telling her what Laddie’s blood would taste like, how much she wanted it and he encouraged her to drink her fill of the boy. The way he was feeling tonight, the only thing that would make him happy would be to go out there and see the kid dead and Star naked and licking her fangs but he wasn’t counting on it. The last thing he needed was to have a kid hanging around them. He released his grip on the bar and almost immediately, Dwayne dropped down beside him and he walked out ahead of David without saying anything to him. David followed, leaving the other two still hanging upside down asleep. The boys walked out into the main cave and Laddie came trotting over to Dwayne like a little puppy dog and the kid began to grate on David already, he wasn’t in the mood to deal with the little shit. Dwayne sat down and David sat opposite him and Dwayne threw him a cigarette.

‘He’s alright. I’ll watch him.’ Dwayne had picked up on David’s distaste of the boy and silently told him he’d take him under his wing.

‘No, he’s her problem. She wouldn’t kill him, she can deal with him.’ David replied and Dwayne inhaled his smoke and decided that he would watch out for the kid regardless of what David said. Dwayne once had seven younger siblings and he had really owned the older brother role, he actually found it nice to have the kid around.

David lit his cigarette and, as he blew his smoke out, he noticed Star coming inside from the entrance of the cave and it go his back up. He wondered how long she had been out there and he gave her a filthy look as she walked back in. She knew he didn’t like her being out there in any kind of light where he couldn’t get to her and now he was fucked off. He was in a foul mood anyways but this tipped him over the edge and he wanted to leave. Paul and Marko had appeared and they looked as tired as David felt.

‘We’re going out.’ David said putting on his over coat picking up on Star’s thoughts, she was judging him on the fact he wore the same coat every night and questioning if he ever wore anything else.

‘No I don’t.’ He answered her aloud and directed his comment straight at her and just by the look on her face, he knew he’d shocked her. ‘Now, let’s go.’ His tone left no uncertainty that he was not to be fucked with tonight.

‘Bro, what’s our rush?’ Paul asked him as they began to climb out of the cave.

‘I wanna get the fuck out of here.’ David barked and Paul smiled, sensing David was in the mood for some brutality and Paul loved it when David was ready to fuck shit up. They were nearing the top of the cliff and David glanced around and saw Star and Laddie were missing. Fucking hell, he was seriously not in the frame of mind to deal with her shit right now.

‘Star!’ He impatiently called out for her and within a minute he heard her and Laddie coming up behind him.

‘Yeah…’ Paul placed his arm around Marko’s shoulders, ‘He’s feral tonight, time to play!’ Paul laughed and Marko smiled at him. Marko was just happy to have the old David back and to not have to hang around her for once, he jumped on his bike starting it up, and Dwayne followed suit. David, however, didn’t mount his bike, instead he stood in front of his ride waiting for the other two. 

‘Laddie, ride with Dwayne.’ David barked at the kid, once they’d caught up and Laddie headed over to Dwayne while David watched Star. She cautiously walked towards him and she hesitated when he hadn’t got on his bike as she approached. When she was close enough he stepped forward and pulled her to him, his hand firmly on her back to hold her in place and he kissed her. He was putting her back in her place with the harsh kiss, she would do as he wanted her to when he wanted her to do it. It was a power play and he had to remind her who was in control and, as he let her go, he stared pure death at her and he got on his bike and she got on the back.

**0o0**

They parked their bikes just outside the second entrance to the Boardwalk and David’s mood lightened a bit knowing he was off to cause some damage but as he walked onto the platform, he heard laughing and hollering to the left, behind him.

‘Baby sitters club now?’ He slowly looked around and saw Greg and his fuckwit mates mocking and laughing at him and had no one been around, David would have had his heart and intestines splayed all over the concrete but David maintained his very thin composure and kept walking, the boys taking his lead and following him.

‘Seriously, we gotta terminate.’ Marko projected to the boys.

‘The guy’s a cunt.’ Paul added.

‘Enjoy making those school lunches, you pussies!’ One of Greg’s crew called out and it took everything David had to not react. His tether was so thin it could snap at any second.

‘We will, it’s just a matter of time and now is not that time.’ David responded and headed down the path. ‘Right, time to ditch the bitch and hunt.’ He said and the boys smiled as he turned to Star.

‘Take him and get something to eat. We’ll meet you in the arcade in two hours. Don’t be late.’ He made it clear and he turned and left her with the kid.

‘What are we hunting for? Slash or gash?’ Paul asked him laughing, excited with the prospect of letting loose and David chuckled.

‘What do you want Paul?’

‘I want it all.’ Paul answered eyeing up some hotties in little shorts walking towards them.

‘God I love summer in this town.’ Dwayne spoke Paul’s thought as he checked out the two girls as well.

‘Let’s gap it up to Mitchell’s Cove. I gotta tear something apart before you two get your ends away.’ David said as they headed down towards the Pier where no one would see them take flight. They flew up to Mitchell’s Cove where they were greeted with a dark empty beach aside from a small group of people sitting around a bonfire down one end, who were well on their way, despite it only being about 10pm. They had drinks with them but Paul knew they were on something else and by the way they were all touchy feely with each other, he suspected it was E and he loved E. There were seven of them all together, two girls and five guys and, from what David could ascertain, two couples and three spare wheels. As they perched in the arms of a tree overlooking that end of the beach, they watched as one couple headed off down a dark pathway lined with trees for some ‘private time’ and Paul took his cue.

‘I’ll take the happy couple.’ He smiled and he jumped down and disappeared into the forest. The other couple said their goodbyes to their friends then, holding hands, they walked off to the parking lot towards the lone car that was parked there and, without saying anything, Dwayne flew off his branch to stalk his prey, leaving David and Marko to deal with the final three that remained on the beach. They’d cracked open a few more beers and didn’t look like they were going anywhere anytime soon which suited David just fine. David could tell Marko was happy being left to hunt with him, before Star had joined them David had included Marko in almost everything he did, primarily because Marko had been such a tough transition and Max had warned him to make sure Marko didn’t turn feral. David had never seen anyone go feral and didn’t know what that consisted of exactly but he had heeded Max’s warning and had taken care with Marko, and during that time he and Marko had developed a certain bond with each other. David jumped out of the tree and Marko landed beside him, then David placed his arm around Marko’s shoulder.

‘Come on Marko, let’s go meet some new friends.’ They walked down along the beach towards the head where the three men were and they drew the men’s attention as they approached. David and Marko stood in front of them on the other side of the bonfire with their backs to the sea and the men ceased their banter and looked at them.

‘Man, that’s one serious jacket.’ One of them said to Marko laughing.

‘Hows it?’ The man sitting in the middle asked them.

‘I’ve had better.’ David said honestly.

‘Let me guess, a chick?’ The guy asked him.

‘Yeah, that look is totally a chick problem.’ The other man chimed in and David raised his eyebrows and half rolled his eyes in agreeance.

‘Well, the only way to deal with bullshit chick problems is to get drunk.’ The one in the middle said, throwing a beer to both Marko and David. The boys caught them but didn’t open them, when suddenly a blood curdling scream echoed out from the bush area behind them and they all turned in the direction of the sound.

‘What the fuck was that?!’ One of the men asked.

‘Wait, wasn’t that where Rob and Steph went?’ The one who threw the beers said.

‘That sounds like Paul.’ David said and they turned back to look at him.

‘Your mate screams like a girl?’ The first one asked and the other two sniggered.

‘No, but he makes them scream like that.’ Marko smiled at their expressions at David’s comment.

‘Fuck, it sounds like he’s killing her.’ The one in the middle said, the smile dropping from his face.

‘He is.’ David said simply and Marko continued to smile at them biting his thumb nail.

‘What?’ Just as one of the men said it, a male’s severed head dropped out of the sky, landing in between the three men and the bonfire and they stared at it in shock.

‘And that would be Dwayne’s handiwork.’ David added, a smirk finding its way onto his face before it turned very ugly and both he and Marko morphed into their alter egos. ‘Now it’s our turn.’ The boys attacked and Marko latched onto the guy in the middle and sunk his teeth deep into his throat, snapping his neck in the process, while David grabbed one of them and scalped him before he took his fill from his jugular and the last one took off running down the beach. Dwayne went to go after him but David screamed at him that the man was his and he dropped the one he had and shot after the last one landing on him and slamming the guy to the ground. David then began slashing and hacking at the guy’s torso with his claws. Dwayne and Marko watched with a morbid fascination as, over and over, David dug his nails into his prey and dragged them through his flesh, snapping ribs and ripping muscle fibres out and by the time he was done, there was nothing but strips of flesh on a broken skeleton with organs spilling out and lying on the sand. David stood up breathing heavy with stringy tendons hanging from his hands. Paul had arrived half way through the carnage and by the end of it, David looked relaxed and satisfied with himself.

‘Fuck yeah!’ Paul exclaimed and David walked past him pulling out a cigarette.

‘Yeah, I needed that.’ David lit his stick and looked back at what he’d done, almost as if it was a painting he’d created. ‘That was fun. It’s gonna be a bitch to clean up though. You guys gotten rid of yours?’ He asked.

‘Barbequing on the grill.’ Paul said.

‘Yeah, mine too.’ Marko added and Dwayne just nodded, not divulging where he had disposed of his kills. David breathed in deeply and nodded, looking at his cigarette.

‘Fuck, it’s got blood on it.’ He said, holding up his cancer stick with his blood-soaked hand. ‘I hate that.’ He flicked his ash off onto the sand and looked out to sea.

‘Dave, what’s with the kid?’ Marko asked him and David semi rolled his eyes.

‘She was supposed to kill him, an easy meal, but instead she called my bluff and I turned him.’ He tried to suck in more smoke but the cigarette was way too wet and had gone out so he threw it away. ‘Man, I tormented her all fucking day to kill the little prick but she wouldn’t.’

‘Yeah, we heard you. You could have cut us out of that one.’ Paul added. ‘You don’t get hair like mine without your beauty sleep.’ Paul said and Marko laughed.

‘Your hair is a fucking mess Paul.’ David said.

‘Mullet. That’s all I’m gonna say.’ Paul responded with his hands in the air.

‘The chick’s got a will of steel to hold off like that.’ Dwayne said.

‘Yeah.’ David began picking strings of veins and bits of flesh out of his nails. ‘I’ll break her. Be sure of that.’ David walked off to clean up the crime scene he’d left on the beach while the others cleaned themselves up and then they headed back to the Boardwalk to meet with Star and Laddie. The boys got back to the Boardwalk and as they walked down the path towards the arcade, they passed a group of girls peering into the carousel. They turned their heads as the boys got closer and David saw Greg’s girlfriend Shelley looking at him and he kept her eye contact and half smiled at her and he continued walking.

‘Isn’t that Greg’s bitch?’ Marko asked him.

‘Yep.’ David smiled, if Greg was going to fuck with Star, David would give him a taste of his own medicine. Arriving at the arcade, David looked around and couldn’t see Star or Laddie anywhere and he sighed in frustration at their tardiness. He had told her to meet him and to not be late and he was late, it had been two and a half hours already.

‘Where are you?’ He called to her and when he got no response, he could feel his annoyance rising again but he pulled it in check. He wasn’t going to let her get to him anymore and David stood with Marko looking out at the crowd walking past and Marko nudged David’s arm as a girl with dark wavy shoulder length hair came into view.

‘Hot.’ Marko said not taking his eyes off her as she stopped to linger at a stall and she looked back at him out of the corner of her eyes. David looked at her and there was something familiar about her and then he clicked, she was Max’s new employee.

‘She works at the video store.’ David said to him and Marko looked back at him.

‘With Max?’

‘Yeah.’ David said watching her, wondering if she would recognise him.

‘Does she know?’ Marko asked.

‘Doubt it.’ David said as Laddie appeared next to Dwayne and David turned to see Star standing away from them in the doorway. He gave her a look that compelled her to come to him without saying a word and she did.

‘Will you play Air Hockey with me again?’ Laddie looked up at Marko and Marko glanced down at him and, ignoring him, he went back back to staring at the girl.

‘Marko’s too busy chasing pussy.’ Paul silently teased Marko. ‘Better get her quick little brother otherwise I’ll catch her first. Once they have a piece of Paul, they forget all the rest.’ Paul laughed and Marko gave him a dirty look.

‘Yeah, they also get Gonorrhoea.’ Dwayne added laughing. ‘Sorry kid, Marko’s busy but I’ll play Street Fighter with you.’ Dwayne told Laddie and they walked over to the other side of the room to the game and Dwayne slotted a quarter into the machine and they began to choose their fighters. Paul moved over next to David and almost immediately a fight broke out behind them and they all turned their heads to see what was going on. They were all fairly disinterested after what they’d just seen David do but Paul loved a good fight so he watched for a bit but quickly got bored and they all watched Marko’s girl finally walk away. The fight intensified and a loud smash rang out along with the waft of fresh blood, it was unmistakable and made all three of them turn to see the damage. Had they not just fed, their reaction may have been different but the relatively small amount of blood did nothing to them and they were mildly amused more than anything else at the scrap. David looked over at Star and he saw her eyes were dilated and she was staring at the wound on the man then she looked up at David and he couldn’t help himself.

‘Yum.’ He said to her, widening his eyes mocking her and both he and Paul laughed. He watched her close her eyes in disgust and when she opened them she looked over at Laddie and her face changed to one of shock. Following her gaze, David was surprised to see Laddie standing next to Dwayne with glowing, red ringed yellow eyes. This was something David had definitely not been anticipating.

‘Dwayne, get him the fuck out of here.’ David projected to Dwayne and Dwayne looked down at the kid and was quite shocked at what he saw. He picked the kid up and told him to close his eyes and they left out of a side entrance. Everyone in the place was distracted by the fight so no one noticed the boy and for that David was relieved but he now knew how careful he was going to have to be where Laddie was concerned, which added a new dynamic to their situation. Having a child vampire wasn’t something he’d actually thought would come to fruition. David walked out past the two security guards who had broken up the fight and he stared the older of the two down, the guy had become less and less tolerant of David’s antics on the Boardwalk as time had gone on and David smirked at him as he left. They headed back to the entrance of the park when suddenly Max appeared in David’s head.

‘Where are you?’ He demanded.

‘Leaving the Boardwalk.’ He reluctantly responded. In the mood he was in, Max was the last person he wanted to have to deal with.

‘Meet me at Neary’s Lagoon.’ They had just walked out of the entrance to their bikes and David stopped and contemplated ignoring Max’s request.

‘Now David.’ Max ordered and David turned to the boys, deciding who Star was going to ride with. Laddie would ride with Dwayne so he turned to Paul, but the last thing he wanted to do was to encourage Paul so he looked over to Marko and then he thought twice about him too, remembering how much Marko had an inherent dislike of her and if she rode with Paul, at least she would make it back to the cave in one piece.

‘I have to go and see someone. Paul, take Star back with you.’ David picked up in his peripheral vision how unimpressed she was but he didn’t care, instead he got on his bike and left to go and meet Max.

**0o0**

Max was already there when David arived and before David had even got off his bike, Max strode over to him and belted him hard across the face with his fist, knocking David, and his bike, to the ground. David whipped his head around to look at his leader and saw him fully turned, which made him halt his instinct for a reaction. Rarely did David ever see Max in his true state anymore and whenever he did, he knew not to fuck with him.

‘I have fucking had it with your insubordination!’ Max roared at him as David staggered to get to his feet.

‘What have I done now?’ David asked moving his sore jaw and tasting his own blood in his mouth.

‘A child? A fucking child?! Are you fucking kidding me?’ Max was furious and David wondered how he knew. ‘You turned Marko while you were high, I said no more and then you turned a female. A fucking female, after everything I have told you over the last century. And now a child. I ought to tear your fucking head off. You think you can do whatever you want, that you aren’t answerable to anybody for your actions. Well I’ll tell you something, you little shit, you answer to me and the jokes on you David, because all of these new fledglings are under me. They always have been. It was always my blood in the bottle, you may have topped it up but my essence was always there and you better believe my blood is a lot stronger than yours. They are all mine, even your precious Star.’ David couldn’t believe what he was hearing, he’d thought he was well on his way to heading his own pack but in one foul swoop, it had been taken away from him. ‘And I told you to stay away from Maria, that means Marko too. You’re really fucking me off David.’

‘Yeah, I can see that.’

‘Don’t get smart with me. Push me again and you’ll force my hand and you won’t like what I will do. William didn’t.’ David stood there stoic and unemotional to the scalding he was receiving. ‘And turn Star or kill her. Her lack of commitment is dangerous.’ Max disappeared into the cloudy night’s sky and David picked up his bike and put it on its stand. He walked over to the edge of the Lagoon pulling out a cigarette and rubbing his jaw again, Max had actually hurt him but if Max thought he was going to alter David’s trajectory, he was wrong. David was more determined to do whatever he wanted to do and the old man wasn’t going to change that. There was no way he was going to let him get his hands on Star, she was his and just as he had that thought, he flicked his half smoked cigarette into the water and he turned and got on his bike.

**0o0**

He hid his bike with the others and made the short track through the bush to the cliff top and when he got there, he found Paul and Marko sitting on the edge of the cliff smoking a joint and laughing.

‘Davey!’ Paul called out to him once he spotted him.

‘What are you wasters doing?’ Seeing his boys made him feel better.

‘You’re just jealous.’ Paul said sucking in a large toke from the unusually large joint.

‘Hanging out.’ Marko said.

‘Talking of Marko’s love of a certain video store assistant.’ Paul laughed eliciting a punch in the arm from Marko.

‘Shut up.’ Marko told him and Max’s words ran through David’s head again and he almost told Marko that she was off limits but he didn’t, he did wonder if Max wanted her for himself though. Then he thought fuck it, Max could tell him himself if he was that adamant about it.

‘Her name is Maria.’ David said leaning down and plucking the joint out of Paul’s hand.

‘Hey!’ Paul overreacted and Marko looked up at David. ‘Oh, Marko and Maria. Sounds like a match made in Heaven. Or in Hell in your case.’ Paul laughed, he was mashed.

‘Just be careful. She’s close to Max and we don’t need to piss him off any more than he already is.’ He said smoking the joint.

‘What’s crawled up his ass?’ Paul asked looking out to the lighthouse.

‘You did.’ David said pushing the back of Paul’s head making Paul lose his balance and nearly topple over the edge. David took another hit and he suddenly felt his head begin to spin and his hands go a bit numb, he felt like a pill was coming on and then he remembered the state of the men on the beach. The joint must be bringing on whatever they’d taken in him. No wonder Paul was off his face. David stepped away towards the staircase and the other two followed him and, as David walked into the cave, he was surprised to see Dwayne drawing Laddie. It was then he realised how much Dwayne really liked the kid and, between Star mothering him and Dwayne bonding with him, it was looking like David was going to be stuck with him. David continued walking out the back without saying anything and went in the room he’d set up for himself and Star, lighting a myriad of candles he’d placed in there which illuminated the gold detailing of a large old picture frame still on the wall from the resort. He honed in on Star and told her to come into the room with him. He took off his overcoat and laid it on the edge of the bed and she appeared in the doorway as he began to take his gloves off. He could tell she was slightly taken back by the candles now in there and he watched her, picking up on every nuance she made. He took off his boots and she looked a little uncomfortable.

‘Are you OK?’ She asked him, still hovering around the doorway.

‘Come here.’ He said again and he watched her step slowly towards him. He could feel her nervousness and he was intrigued as to why she was so nervous, and in her shy vulnerability she looked stunning. Regardless of anything, he was still wildly turned on by her, her skin was porcelain which set off her deep red lips and dark curls beautifully. There was no way he was going to let Max get to her and he wouldn’t even let her meet him or even know about him if he could help it. She was all his to do as he pleased with and right now all he wanted to do was fuck her. He placed his hand round the back of her neck and he pulled her to him, kissing her. It was a deep passionate kiss and he placed his other hand around her waist and held her close to him. As soon as his body touched hers, he found his desire for her overwhelmed him and he kissed her harder. He turned her around so her back was to the bed then he lifted her up in the air while he continued to kiss her. He consumed her mind with his compelling thoughts and he felt her relaxing and moulding into him and he took full advantage. She was so easy for him to manipulate, fundamentally he knew she was still attracted to him and he had her exactly where he wanted her. The way she was responding to him he knew she wanted him just as much and he lay her down on the bed and slid his mouth over her now exposed breasts, his tongue teasing her hard nipples and he heard her let out a telling moan. Looking up at her, she was looking back at him almost embarrassed she’d been caught enjoying his attention and her true feelings had been discovered. He smiled at her, whether she would admit it to herself or not, she’d betrayed her front and let him see she liked what he was doing. He was going to make her like him even more as he made his way down her body and slid her skirt up her legs and he saw her eyes roll shut.


	28. Warnings and Defiance - Star's POV

Star slept like shit, she’d been tossing and turning all night long hearing the sound of the little boy’s breathing next to her and his heartbeat, his blood pumping, rhythmic heart beat that sounded like a jackhammer in her head. Then when she was able to sleep, all she did was dream of spilling his blood. It had taken all of her strength not to lean over and slice open a vein to get just a taste of his sweet baby blood. David’s voice had been taunting her all night, pushing her to kill the boy, telling her his blood would be so pure, not tainted with alcohol or drugs or disease, just pure human blood that would quench the unyielding thirst that was clawing at her insides and take that pain away. He was such an asshole and she was really beginning to hate him. He could be so charming and charismatic and she still thought he was one of the hottest guys she’d ever seen but she had come to discover he was a controlling, manipulative asshole. One that was haunting her mind and compelling her to do the evillest of things. She got up, got changed and went to the entrance of the cave and sat on the large rocks that surrounded the entrance and she gazed out at the sun. The sun was a dark orange orb dipping below the horizon and sending shards of light streaking across the ocean. She looked up and saw the waxing moon already beaming down from the purple sky with a lone bright star next to it. She looked at that moon and that star and she related them to herself and David, David being the large overbearing moon and her, of course, being the small insignificant Star. David’s moon could influence tides all over the world, was strong enough to penetrate people’s psyche and effect their moods and could light up the world when it wanted to but without that moon, the stars have their chance to glitter the sky. She felt like she would never shine being around David, he would always dominate and over power her sky. She heard one of the boys emerge from the back followed by another and she got up to come back inside, knowing that if it was David, he wouldn’t be happy if she was near the light. But then again, David wasn’t happy about anything she did anymore. 

‘Hi Dwayne.’ She heard a little voice say and she turned around to see Laddie running up to Dwayne, with David walking in behind him.

‘Hey kid.’ Dwayne sat down and pulled out a cigarette and threw one at David who also sat down. She walked back from the entrance and recognized the disapproving look she was getting from David but thankfully he said nothing.

‘Will you draw me today?’ Laddie asked Dwayne and Star was surprised Dwayne had told him he could draw.

‘Tonight. It’s night time again.’ Laddie looked towards the entrance with confusion in his eyes.

‘Star, why didn’t you wake me up?’ He asked her turning his head towards her as she stood by the wall across from where the boys sat.

‘I’ve only just gotten up too Laddie.’ Marko and Paul walked out and Laddie jumped up and ran at Paul and Paul lifted him up and flipped him upside down to the squealing delight of the little boy. She watched with a flat expression, not liking the enjoyment they were having of each other’s company. It was like he was already part of the pack, more than what she was, and that scared her. It would be too easy for these boys to get him to turn, Laddie was enamoured with all of them and would do anything to be accepted by these demons.

‘We’re going out.’ David announced and he put his large overcoat on again and Star briefly wondered if he ever wore anything else.

'No I don’t.’ He said out loud and everybody turned to see who he was talking to and when Star looked up, she saw him staring directly at her. She felt Laddie’s hand slip into hers and she looked down at him and he looked a bit scared. ‘Now let’s go.’ David demanded and everyone collected themselves together and they left the cave. Star and Laddie trailed behind the rest of them and once a few steps distance was between them, Laddie pulled on her hand and she bent down so he could whisper to her.

‘He scares me.’ He confided to her.

‘Who? David?’ She asked and he nodded. ‘Don’t worry about him Laddie, I won’t let him hurt you.’ She reassured him.

‘Will he hurt you?’ He asked, concern scrawled across his forehead.

‘No, he’s not going to hurt me.’ She lied. She had no idea what David was going to do but she wasn’t going to scare the little boy anymore than he already was.

‘Star!’ David’s voice came from up ahead and both Star and Laddie lifted their heads in unison.

‘Come on, we have to hurry up.’ She urged the boy and Laddie moved faster. They reached the top of the cliff and Marko and Dwayne had already mounted their bikes, their engines rumbling beneath them.

‘Laddie ride with Dwayne.’ David told the boy and Laddie skipped happily over towards Dwayne and Dwayne reached over and picked up the kid, helping him on the back of his bike. David stood waiting for Star and she slowly walked towards him as Paul got on his bike behind them and it roared to life. David maintained his stance and she halted, she couldn’t get on his bike before him and she didn’t know what he was doing. Suddenly he grabbed her by her lower back, pulled her to him and forcibly kissed her, roughly pushing his tongue into her mouth. The kiss wasn’t kind or gentle and it felt like a show of power more than a display of affection the look in his eyes as he pulled away from her leaving her cold. He got on his bike and she reluctantly got on behind him, wrapping her arms around him with her stomach in knots. She knew what his problem was, it was that she hadn’t killed Laddie and now he was stuck with a kid hanging around. Well, that was his fault for bringing him here. She did know one thing for sure though, David was going to do whatever he wanted to with her, whether she wanted him to or not and she hoped he would remember what he’d promised her in the beginning.

They pulled up at the Boardwalk and got off their bikes, and Star saw Laddie’s face light up at all the rides before him. They began to walk into the park when Greg and his crew called out from their perch on the wall just inside the entrance.

‘Baby sitters club now?’ Greg laughed and David turned his head in his direction but continued walking as did the rest of the boys. Star looked up at the punks and Greg winked and ran his tongue along his top teeth at her and the rest of his boys laughed.

‘Enjoy making those school lunches you pussies!’ One of Greg’s mates yelled out. She was surprised David didn’t react and it almost scared her more that he didn’t, she was sure that meant he was going to do something far more severe later because there was no way he was going to let that slide. They walked out further and David turned to her.

‘Take him and get something to eat. We’ll meet you in the arcade in two hours. Don’t be late.’ He turned and walked away and Star placed her hand on Laddie’s shoulder.

‘What would you like to eat?’ She asked him, trying to distract him from the boys leaving.

‘Popcorn. Where are they going?’ He asked her, his face falling. She could tell he just wanted to be with the boys, be one of the boys and not left behind with her.

‘They’ll be back. Stick with me and we’ll meet them later.’ She told him. ‘Popcorn was it?’

‘Yeah.’ His face changed into a smile and they went off to find him some popcorn. He spied the Ferris Wheel while she was getting his food and the next thing she knew, she was going up and around the large wheel but she found she was enjoying herself. Being with Laddie, she felt relaxed and free. She had no idea where the boys were and she didn’t care, this was the first time they’d left her alone in weeks and she began to think that Laddie was a God send who could be the catalyst to her freedom. She smiled to herself, she would happily hang out with the little boy if it meant she could roam the Boardwalk without her chaperons watching her every move. Summer was a week away and there were more concerts and events going on in the sea side town and she began to look forward to the next few months, as long as David backed off with the whole killing thing but she didn’t want to think about that now, she’d had her first taste of freedom since she’d met these strange biker boys and she didn’t want to ruin it by worrying. They got off the Ferris Wheel and wandered around the rides so Laddie could have a look at what was there and she accompanied him on some of them and waited while he went on some others then he ran over to the comic book store and began looking at the Spiderman comics held within the shelves. Star wandered in after him, not interested in the comics but more in the looks she was getting from the young kids behind the counter. As she looked back at them one of them nudged the other and the other nodded then David’s voice echoed in her head.

‘Where are you?’ She looked at a clock on the wall of the store and she saw they were late. Shit, she’d gotten distracted by Laddie and the larger than usual crowds.

‘Come on, we have to go.’ She said to Laddie and she glanced back to the two boys working there and then she led Laddie out and they made their way to the arcade. Laddie spotted Dwayne and Paul as soon as they arrived and he bounced over to them while she loitered around the doorway. David looked over at her and she instantly felt compelled to go and stand near him, which she did. Laddie moved over to Marko and asked him if he would play Air Hockey with him again and Marko just glanced down quickly and ignored him and went back to watching a young Hispanic girl outside. Star looked at her and gave a half smile, Marko had a crush and for some reason she found it almost cute.

‘Sorry kid, Marko’s busy,’ Dwayne told him, ‘but I’ll play Street Fighter with you.’ Dwayne was laughing with Paul and Marko flicked Paul an annoyed look, making her wonder what Paul had said that she couldn’t hear. Dwayne and Laddie walked off and Paul stood near David, both of them looking out at the crowd from the partition of the arcade. Suddenly Star heard yelling and people began pushing as a fight broke out next to her. David and Paul turned their heads both with blank expressions upon their faces but they didn’t move or react. Star looked over at Laddie and both he and Dwayne had stopped playing, as had everyone else in the near vicinity. A loud bang following by a smash and more yelling had everyone’s attention and security was being called for. Then it hit her, the smell was strong, sweet yet salty and it permeated her senses. It was blood, someone was bleeding fresh blood and a lot of it. Security pulled one of the men off the other and as the other man stood up, she saw him with blood all over the right side of his face, his forehead gushing blood from a large gash above his eye. The blood made her feel kind of sick but she found it undeniably enticing at the same time. She looked away and saw all three of them had now turned their bodies towards the brawl and David had an arrogant inward grin on his face.

‘Yum’ David said raising his eyebrow at her and Paul laughed with him at her reaction. She rolled her eyes closed and when she opened them, she looked over to Laddie and panic shot through her with what she saw. From behind his long locks, she saw glowing gold eyes with the distinct red hue staring at the bleeding man, who was now being spoken to by the larger of the two security guards. Star shot her gaze back to David and his smile had gone and he was looking at Dwayne, obviously telling him to get Laddie out of there. She saw Dwayne pick Laddie up and gap it out of a side entrance while David and Paul walked past the security guards, eyeballing them both as they exited. She followed them with Marko behind her and they headed back through the Boardwalk towards their bikes and, by the time they’d gotten half way back, Dwayne had put Laddie down and his eyes had returned back to blue. David looked distracted as they approached their bikes and he turned to the boys and looked from Paul to Marko then back to Paul and he spoke.

‘I have to go see someone. Paul, take Star back with you.’ Star looked up at David and was perturbed by what she’d just heard. He spoke of her like she was a possession and not his girlfriend and he’d made her feel horribly insignificant, addressing Paul and not her. David got on his bike without saying anything further and he left her with them.

‘Get on Princess.’ Paul had climbed on his bike and held out his hand to her and she awkwardly got on behind him. ‘Hold on tight.’ He laughed and he took off like a bat out of hell as they headed towards the Bluff. Paul rode his bike recklessly and she wasn’t sure whether he was doing it on purpose to scare her or not. She’d obviously seen him ride before and he was a crazy man on two wheels and she figured it must just be that she was with him that it seemed worse but she hoped this would be the one and only time she would have to ride with him. They arrived back at the cave and Laddie helped Dwayne light all the barrels around the main cave while Paul put some sounds on, sat down and rolled a few joints and Marko sat with him but they were both oddly quiet. Star sat on her bed and thought of David, where did he have to go anyways? He never had to go and see anyone. Who was he answerable to? She had the sense there was something else going on and had done for a while now. David had changed, gone was the man who would bring her flowers and who cared about how she was feeling and he had been replaced with a moody intimidating guy who wanted to use her for his own selfish purposes and now wanted her to kill. The only thing she knew even had the possibility of remotely reverting him back to what she had once thought she’d fallen for was to buckle and do as he had been pressuring her to do. Then she thought about the man’s blood and how it had made her feel and she felt her resolve to refrain was becoming weaker but she couldn’t do it and she couldn’t let Laddie turn either. She had to find a way to get him away from these boys and back to his parents, that was one thing she knew for sure.

‘Will you draw me now?’ She heard Laddie ask and as she looked over Dwayne leaned over and picked up a sketching pad and his pencils. Marko and Paul went outside to have a smoke and Paul threw one at Dwayne as they walked past him. She sat there and watched Dwayne begin to draw Laddie as Laddie picked up one of the stray comic books laying around and flicked through it. After a few strokes of his pencil, Dwayne stopped and lit the joint and then settled in to draw. From her bed, she could see over Dwayne’s shoulder and she silently watched as the image began to appear on the paper and she found it hypnotizing how fluid his movements were. His lines were deliberate and solid with no mistakes. Every mark was on purpose and he was so good, making her wonder if he had studied art before he was a vampire. He was that talented, he could have made a name for himself as an artist had he lived a normal life and that thought made her somewhat sad. David walked in, followed by Paul and Marko, and he walked over towards the back of the cave and disappeared down the hallway, leaving Paul and Marko lying on the two couches trying to distract Dwayne and give him shit while Laddie laughed at them, not realising they were all smashed. She sat there watching the scene before her and was grateful David had left the room, and her, alone. His mood had been difficult to deal with the last few days and she really didn’t want to be around him very much anymore then, just as she had the thought, his voice appeared in her head.

‘Star, come in here.’ She exhaled and looked towards the passageway he’d gone down and she slowly stood up and walked back there.

‘Have fun.’ Paul called to her without looking at her and she continued walking down the old corridor when she saw the glowing light coming from the room. She walked in and David had lit a series of candles which gave the room a certain ambience that she wasn’t expecting. He stood near the foot of the bed taking his gloves off, watching her closely. His overcoat lay on the edge of the bed and, once his gloves were off, he took his boots off. She wanted to ask him where he’d been but she knew well enough not to question him, especially when she was alone with him and unsure of what mood he was in, so she used a different tactic.

‘Are you OK?’ She asked as she stood in the doorway but he didn’t answer her, he just repeated for her to go to him. She stepped forward until she was standing in front of him and he placed his hand on her cheek. She was so nervous, she felt like her insides were shaking, and she was sure he knew he was having this effect on her despite his calm exterior. She stood there with her heart hammering at her ribs waiting for what he was going to do and he slid his hand round to the back of her neck and he pulled her to him and into a kiss and as she pressed up against him, she could feel he was hard through his jeans. His other hand held her close to him via her lower back and she found she was locked in his embrace and couldn’t move. He began to get more into the kiss and she knew why he’d called her in there and she felt him move her around as her tongue was entwined with his and her head was becoming light, she almost felt euphoric. Her feet left the ground and she wasn’t quite sure what was happening, all she knew was that David’s hands were all over her and she was powerless to stop him. She knew this wasn’t what she wanted to do with him but what really got to her was that he wasn’t attacking her or forcing her to do anything and yet she was acutely aware she was being a willing participant, maybe not in mind, but her body certainly was, and she assumed she must be portraying to him that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. She worked out they must be about five feet in the air as his intensity increased and suddenly she was flung down onto the bed and her top was being lifted and she felt his tongue sliding over her nipples. She instinctually let out a small moan and he looked up at her with his lip curled into a knowing smile and his eyes shone with the confirmation he was looking for and he went further south and she dissolved into a puddle of conflicted ecstasy.


	29. Wearing Thin - David's POV

David had gotten carried away while having sex with her and he didn’t know if it was because he was becoming more intolerant of her and her incessant reluctance in conforming to his way of life, or if it was simpler than that and it was just instinctual for him to fuck and feed but he’d bitten her. He’d bitten her so hard and deep that he’d struggled to refrain from killing her all together and he lay there looking the reality of what he’d done. There was blood all over her neck and chest and he saw the two perfect puncture wounds he’d left in her throat. In the century or so of life he’d lived as a vampire, this was the first and only time he’d ever left someone alive after tasting their blood the way he had tonight, and it interested him and perplexed him. As frustrated and bored he was becoming with her, he still had a desire to possess her and dominate her and he didn’t quite know why. He saw her as his possession. She had stopped bleeding quickly and he got up and admired the image in front of him, he felt like he’d smeared her with his mark and he liked it. He left her unconscious laying in the bed and went out the back to sleep with the boys.

_David flew out from the back of the cave and landed in the main cave next to his chair and his senses instantly picked up the aroma of fresh blood, and a lot of it. Looking around, he saw Star hunched over on the floor and he walked over towards her when her head shot around and he saw her fully turned and her mouth dipped with blood. As he stepped forward, he saw pieces of Laddie piled on the floor and she smiled at him and he smiled back._

David’s eyes flicked open and for a second he didn’t know if what he’d just seen was real or just a dream but seeing Paul asleep next to him he knew it was a dream.

‘You alright?’ Dwayne asked him and David dropped down to the ground.

‘Yeah, she’s changing, it won’t be long now but the dreams are fucking with my head.’ David admitted, running his hand through his spiked hair. ‘Let’s go out for a drink.’ He flew out of the back cave and into the side room where Star lay in the exact position he’d left her in. He stood and looked at her, briefly wondering if he had actually killed her but he saw the rise and fall of her chest and he knew she would be out for a while longer so he decided to leave her there and go out with the boys. He walked out to the main cave and Dwayne and Paul were out there.

‘Where’s Star?’ Laddie asked Dwayne.

‘Ahh…’ Dwayne looked over to David who was looking a little on edge. ‘She’s still asleep man, we’re going to go out without her for a while. Marko appeared and they got themselves ready to leave. They went downtown to one of the many bars that had sprouted up in the last year.

‘I’m gonna take the rugrat down the road, I’ll be back soon.’ Paul told them as he headed off with Laddie and the other three went inside and ordered drinks. David and Dwayne sat down while Marko waited for the drinks to be made.

‘I don’t want any trouble in here.’ The bartender told Marko as he pushed the glasses across the bar top and Marko just gave him a mocking smile. David looked around the room and saw the usual Santa Carla inhabitants and judging looks from the business folk and admiring looks from girls who were pre-loading before going heading out on the town.

‘Why are you letting her get to you? You don’t give a fuck about anyone, especially a chick.’ Dwayne asked him, wondering if he would admit he loved her. David looked over to his brother, realising he must look stressed or something.

‘I nearly killed her last night.’ Marko’s head shot up and David saw almost a look of excitement on his face. ‘I’m in two minds as to whether I should have or not, but there’s still something about her that I haven’t got and I want.’

‘Fuck her off and get a new one.’ Marko said drinking his bourbon. If she didn’t change soon, Max would make him fuck her off completely, he’d make him kill her, but David wanted her. He would torture her for the rest of her miserable existence until she turned, and she would, he knew she’d buckle eventually. She was close now, closer than she’d ever been, and he just needed to get her more involved in the process but he wasn’t sure how. He looked up at Dwayne, who was making eyes with some bird in the corner, and he watched him get up and approach her and both Marko and David chuckled.

‘You really don’t like her, do you?’ David asked him after a moment of silence and Marko put his drink down.

‘It’s mutual. She doesn’t like me cause I killed her friend and I think she’s a pain in the ass. She’s a distraction and has already caused us too much shit.’ Maybe Marko was right, she was becoming increasingly painful to deal with and it seemed like all she was good for was a fuck and to take the focus off them in public. He honed in on her and she was awake and thinking of how easy it would be to disappear without the boys being there and his ever present power trip kicked in.

‘Don’t even think about it.’ He projected to her and her thoughts went silent. He resumed his drink and Paul reappeared with Laddie holding a pile of comics and Paul went to get a drink, returning with another for both Marko and David. 

‘Where’s Dwayne.’ Paul asked and Marko nodded towards the corner where he saw Dwayne with his arm around some chick as she was draped over him touching his necklace.

‘Anywhere and everywhere.’ Paul said laughing. ‘Man after my own heart.’ He said raising his glass and downing the whole thing in one go. David was still tuned in with Star and was finding the connection was stronger and he figured it must be because he’d drunk so much of her blood the morning before. She’d left the cave and was going down to the bay despite his warning and he got up.

‘I’ll meet you guys back at the cave.’ He said leaving and Paul reached over and grabbed his drink. David took off on his bike and parked just up from the inlet to the bay and got off. He stood there and sighed before he walked down to the empty beach and saw her out in the water. He leaned against a large boulder and watched her for a few minutes then when she got out of the water he saw she was buck naked and, even though there was no one else there, his jealousy surged. What the fuck was she doing?

‘Did I tell you you could leave the cave?’ He demanded and he saw her jump at the realisation that she wasn’t alone. She trotted up to grab her clothing off the sand but he stopped her. ‘Freeze.’ He watched her stop and reluctantly look at him. ‘Answer me.’

‘No’ a small voice answered him.

'No?’ He leaned forward from his spot.

‘No, you didn’t tell me I could leave. I only came down here to clean up David, I had blood all over me.’ She quickly added and his eyes scanned over her bare body. He long limbs were dripping wet and he noticed she was skinnier that she was when he met her. He didn’t know why he hadn’t seen it before now but she needed to eat more.

‘I know you did, I put it there.’ He said gloating over what he’d done. ‘Now get your ass back to the cave and get ready. We’re going out.’ He took off back to the cave and upon arriving, he saw the boys were back and he told Paul to roll up before they went out for a feed.

‘Ahead of you there my brother.’ Paul said pulling out a fat joint and lighting it. Star came down the entrance shortly after and all the boys glanced over at her, picking up on the blood on her shirt. ‘Where’s she been?’ Paul asked.

‘The beach.’ David said, as he took the joint from Paul and inhaled, then passed it on to Marko. He didn’t elaborate and they didn’t ask. When David was in this mood, you took what he gave you. The only way he was going to shake his frustration was to kill so he wanted to get out of there and get down to the Boardwalk as soon as possible. He looked over at her and saw her sitting on her bed and he was annoyed with her procrastination.

‘You ready?’ David barked at her and she continued to half-heartedly get ready and she walked out towards him. David gave her a sideways glance full of intolerance but satisfied she’d done as he had asked and they left, arriving down at the Boardwalk twenty minutes later. Paul and Dwayne headed towards the rides with Laddie while Marko, David and Star slowly walked in the same direction behind them. David looked around and found a group of guys watching them, watching Star to be more precise, and he smiled, an plan forming in his mind.

‘You have some fans.’ David said to her and she looked up at him. ‘I want you to coax them down the Riverwalk near San Lorenzo in an hour.’

‘Why?’ When would this girl learn not to question him?

‘Because I asked you to.’ He said, his impatience showing and Marko and he strode off on their own. David didn’t want to go meet up with Paul and Dwayne, the last thing he was in the mood for was to ride the rides with the little shit so he and Marko went down to the stage and checked out the new band down there. They were wild and loud and really good and they had the place pumping. There were plenty of fresh faced, blood filled female bodies for them to perve on and David found the distraction was working and his mood began to lighten. Both he and Marko were enjoying themselves when Paul appeared next to them.

‘Pussy galore tonight! It’s playtime for Paulie!’ Paul said, spinning around watching a short skirt walk past him.

‘We got something to do first.’ David told him.

‘As long as I can come back here after…’ He smiled, his eyes sparkling like Swarovski crystals. Paul was in a good mood, he was always in a good mood and up for a good time and his enthusiasm rubbed off on David.

‘Where’s Dwayne?’ David asked as Dwayne walked up behind him with Laddie in tow. Having his crew all together made him feel good and he knew tonight would be the night. It was time to meet up with Star. ‘Come on, we’re going down to the San Lorenzo River.’ He told them and he walked off towards the exit to the main parking lot.

‘What’s down at Lorenzo’s River?’ Laddie asked and Paul gently pushed the back of his head guiding him after David. After a fifteen minute walk, they arrived at the track over the riverbed and David led them down onto the sand and under the bridge platform. They milled around under there for about ten minutes, talking and smoking, until David sensed his girl near and his stomach began to flutter. He was looking forward to reminding her of what she was and how enticing the scent of fresh blood was. Paul was busy going on about what he wanted to do with the entire female population of Santa Carla tonight and giving Marko shit about Maria when David turned around and saw Star nervously approaching accompanied by the same four teenagers he’d seen earlier. She had done well and had brought them to him.

‘Star?’ He questioned her presence and she played the game.

‘Ahh… Hi. These guys were wanting to score something from Paul.’ He listened to her then flicked his eyes over the children standing arrogantly next to her and he couldn’t help himself, he smirked at her, when one of them placed his arm around her in some sort of show of his intentions and David’s smile disappeared. Dwayne analysed the situation playing out before him and he picked up that Star was uncomfortable with the guy touching her, she was uncomfortable with the situation as a whole, and it had already gone too far for her. But it was too late, if David had any reservations about killing them before, they were definitely gone now. Not that David ever had reservations about killing anyone, especially someone who touched his property. He would make an example of him.

'Well… What are you after? Aside from my girl?’ David asked, feeling his boys move closer and back him and Paul laughed, but Dwayne and Marko remained cold and David kept his eyes directly on Star. The young boy removed his arm and looked at her.

‘I thought you said you weren’t with any of these guys?’ The boy said in an accusatory tone but Star didn’t answer him and David watched her keep her eyes to the ground. The boy was telling the truth and her body language screamed guilt. So, she was telling people she was available, was she?

‘Listen, all we wanted was to get something to get high with and this chick said you could supply.’ One of the guys said. ‘That’s it. We don’t want your girl, do we Brad?’

‘No.’ Brad said but David didn’t believe him.

‘Paul tear this guy a new one. Brad is mine.’ David projected to his brother without even twitching a muscle.

‘Yeah, we can supply.’ Paul said and David watched as Star looked up and he caught her lying eyes full of fear, he’d give her something to be afraid of. From behind him came a guttural cry and David’s senses were penetrated with the sweet scent of fresh blood, but he maintained eye contact with Brad, who was demanding to know what the hell was going on. Laddie began screaming as Dwayne and Marko took out the other two but the kid’s voice had disturbed David’s concentration and suddenly Star and Laddie were gone. Fuck, he wanted her here to watch this but he knew what little she had seen had already had an impact. He looked at Brad for a second and he launched and all but tore the boy apart. David enjoyed the surge of adrenalin but his meal left him a little unsatisfied as the ultimate goal of it had been lost. They cleaned themselves and their mess up and headed back to the Boardwalk.

‘It’s all been fun and games but I got an urge that needs attending to and the game is strong tonight.’ Paul stated and he bounced off after one of the girls he’d eyed up earlier. Dwayne went off after him and silently disappeared into the crowd like a ghost and David and Marko walked back to the stage. Looking around, David saw Paul was right, the variety was vast and there was pussy everywhere. It must have something to do with the band that was on, they were some LA band growing in popularity and notoriety and the masses had come out to play. Marko and David wandered around for about half an hour checking to see who caught their fancy until David realised Marko wasn’t really looking at anyone, but he was thinking about Maria. David had never seen his youngest brother so enamoured with anyone before and it was an interesting development for him. He wondered if it was because David had Star that Marko wanted one of his own. Paul would fuck anything, he didn’t care, and David suspected Dwayne had a few stashed around the place but none he was exclusive with, but Marko had never shown this much interest in anyone.

‘Go get her.’ David blurted out and Marko’s eyes shot up and he knew David knew what he was thinking about.

‘What about Max?’ Marko asked.

‘Fuck him, who cares?’ David was over Max’s rules and right now he was ready to push boundaries in all aspects of his life. Suddenly David was shoved forward and as he turned around, he saw a rather large guy standing there glaring at him.

‘Are you the one fucking with Dan’s girl?’ The guy confronted him and David stood there controlling the urge to slit his throat in front of all the Boardwalk tourists. David had no idea what this guy was on about but he didn’t care, he was definitely in the mood for a rumble if that’s what this guy wanted. ‘Answer me faggot!’ The man pushed David’s chest and his yelling was beginning to cause a scene.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about but if you touch me again, you’re dead.’ David calmly warned him.

‘Fuck you! You touch any of my friends’ bitches again and I’ll finish you right here.’ Before David could respond, Marko lunged forward and smashed the man in the face, crushing his nose and splattering blood all over his face and David let out a low laugh. Two cops appeared in front of them, one of them tending to the man and the other yelling at Marko to get off the Boardwalk and Marko walked off smiling and biting his thumb nail while David followed, telling the guy he’d see him again soon which prompted a tirade of abuse to spew forth from the man. As David walked off, he caught sight of Max out of the corner of his eye and, being at his mischievous best, David smirked at him and he left the Boardwalk.

0o0

He and Marko rode back up to the bush where they stashed their bikes and walked the path to the cliff top and waited for the other two.

‘Who the fuck was that?’ Marko asked him as David lit a cigarette.

‘Fuck knows.’ David said as he blew out the initial puff and looked over towards the circling light of the lighthouse.

‘Did you fuck the chick?’

‘Not if she’s still alive.’ David said chuckling. ‘Did you see Max there?’

‘No.’ Marko tilted his head sideways at that news.

‘He was disapproving as usual.’ David flicked ash onto the ground, not really caring how Max viewed him and his boys anymore.

‘… she had tits like melons jiggling all over the place! It was fantastic!’ Paul’s voice and subsequent laughter burst through the trees before he did and both David and Marko turned to see him emerge through the leaves, followed by Dwayne.

‘Got your rocks off then?’ David asked, flicking his cigarette off the cliff.

‘Oh Dave, she had these lips…’

‘Yeah, I don’t need details of your sexual exploits Paul. Knowing you it was probably a tranny.’ David smiled at him.

‘Jealous bro? Star not giving it you?’ David looked at him from beneath lowered lashes and groaned.

‘Oh, I’m getting plenty.’ David countered.

‘I know you are, but we’re talking about Star.’ Paul shot back.

‘Ugh, don’t even talk to me about her.’ He said turning towards the entrance.

‘You guys not indulge?’ Dwayne asked.

‘Nah, Marko felt the need to break some guys nose on the Boardwalk.’ David said.

‘Nice going little bro!’ Paul pat his back. He approved of any kind of unnecessary violence. They walked down and into the cave and found Star lying on one of the couches, the stench of pot emanating from around her. She sat bolt upright, looking almost as guilty as she had earlier on, and David narrowed his eyes. ‘Oh… helping yourself huh?’ David asked her and he watched her flinch as Paul snatched the bag of weed off the table. David walked towards her and confiscated the rest of the joint from her and relit it, inhaling deeply while eyeballing her.

‘Sorry, I um…’ He watched as she squirmed under his scrutiny.

‘You what?’ He lowered his head.

‘I just needed to chill out after...’ Her voice trailed off and he picked up where she’d left off.

‘After what Star? You stressed? Got a lot on your mind? You should have stuck around Star, you missed out on one of the best stress relievers available.’ He mocked her, then his demeanour changed as he was reminded of what else she’d done tonight. ‘Don’t you ever tell anyone you’re single again, you’re mine.’ He chastised her then walked over to his steel throne and sat, telling Marko to get some drinks. He barely acknowledged her getting up and going to her bed when Dwayne put some decent sounds on, not the weak ass shit she had on, and Paul couldn’t help himself and began talking about his conquest again.


	30. Wearing Thin - Star's POV

She awoke in the room naked and alone, She couldn’t remember going to sleep or David leaving or anything really. She knew she’d had sex with him but anything other than that was lost to her. She went to sit up and felt a deep pain in her neck and she shot her hand up to feel it and found her neck and chest covered in thick, sticky dried blood with deep puncture wounds in her throat. What had David done to her? Had he tried to kill her? No, she’d be dead if he’d tried to finish her. She looked around wondering where he was. She had to get changed before Laddie saw her and freaked out so she crept out into the main cave only to find it empty, no boys or Laddie to be seen. She found herself there alone and there was something odd about it, David always knew where she was and here she could disappear out of the cave and he’d be none the wiser.

‘Don’t even think about it.’ David’s voice echoed in her head and she involuntarily shivered. She got some clothes out and thought about how she was going to clean herself up. She decided she would duck down to the bay just around from the Bluff and wash down there, she had no idea when everyone would be back but she had to get this blood off of her. He couldn’t blame her for wanting to get rid of the evidence of what he’d done to her, he would want her to do that, surely. She flew down to the beach and was happy she found the place was empty and she quickly undressed and got into the water. Dunking her head under the water, she washed the sticky mess out of her hair and as she ran her hands over her hair and down her neck, she noticed the puncture wounds had gone and it surprised her. She didn’t know that vampires healed up so quickly and it made her wonder what wounds the boys had suffered that she had no idea of. She looked up at the sky and the moon was higher than she was expecting which meant it was later than she’d anticipated. It also meant they would be back sooner than she thought so she got out of the water and made her way back up to the pile of clothes she’d left on the beach, when she heard the familiar sound of a smooth deep voice.

‘Did I tell you you could leave the cave?’ She jumped at the harshness of David’s tone and she ran to grab her clothing to cover herself. ‘Freeze.’ He demanded of her and she stopped and looked at him. ‘Answer me.’

‘No.’ She said feeling horribly exposed.

‘No?’ He leaned forward.

‘No you didn’t tell me I could leave.’ She looked down feeling like a petulant child. ‘I only came down here to clean up David, I had blood all over me.’ She felt humiliated and pleaded her case.

‘I know you did, I put it there. Now get your ass back to the cave and get ready. We’re going out.’ He turned and walked back towards the street and she ran to put her clothing back on and kicked it back to the cave. The boys pretty much ignored her when she got back but Laddie came running up to her.

‘Star! Where were you? Look what Paul got for me!’ He showed her a small stack of new comic books.

‘Wow, that’s awesome Laddie.’ She said and he looked at her strangely.

‘What’s that on your top? Why is your hair wet?’ His questions were a bit much for her right now and she told him to wait a minute so she could go and get changed. She sat on her bed once she was changed and scrunched her hair with a small towel she had from the former hotel, while the boys sat and talked. Laddie came over to her again and sat next to her, putting his hand under her arm.

‘Are you OK?’ He asked her and she gave him a weak smile.

‘Yes, I’m OK. Are you OK?’

‘Yep, Paul and Dwayne said they would go on the rollercoaster with me tonight.’ He said, smiling.

‘Oh nice.’ At least they were still treating him well and he seemed, for the most part, unaffected by the whole situation.

‘You ready?’ David solicited her attention and she put her jewellery and make up on and grabbed her jacket and walked out to where the boys stood around waiting. David gave her an unimpressed look and walked out, the boys ushering her to go before them. They rode to the Boardwalk and Paul and Dwayne took off with Laddie to the Big Dipper and left her with Marko and a very dark David, both of them being poor prospects for her tonight. She followed them, walking slightly behind them, and tried to detach herself from the atmosphere David was creating.

‘You have some fans.’ David said to her and she looked up at him. ‘I want you to coax them down the Riverwalk near San Lorenzo in an hour.’ He suddenly said and her heart sank. Why would he want her to bring anyone to meet him other than to kill them? Did he know them? Was this going to be another San Francisco?

‘Why?’ She regretted saying it as soon as the word left her lips.

‘Because I asked you to.’ His expression changed and she knew he was done and he walked off with Marko, leaving her there alone. She looked around awkwardly and instantly saw the group of guys he was talking about staring at her. She felt sick having to do this again, especially after the last time, and she decided she needed a drink to even begin to deal with being in this situation again. She walked away from them towards one of the only bars on the Boardwalk and stood at the bar top, putting her head in her hands.

‘What can I get ya?’ The barman asked her.

‘Ah… Can I have a vodka lemonade please?’ The bartender looked at her suspiciously and she feared he was going to ask for some ID. He, for whatever reason, decided against it and he turned to make the drink and she suddenly remembered she had no money and would have to try and compel him to give it to her, and she really didn’t feel very compelling right now.

‘Courtesy of the gentleman over there.’ She looked down the bar to see a guy in a suit raise his glass at her.

‘You look like you need it!’ He called across the bar and she smiled.

‘Thank you.’ She called back and he went back to talking with his buddy. She drank her drink and it was nice and strong and she lingered in the place, probably a little longer than she should have. She really didn’t want to do this. When she finally left, she walked down towards the crowd at the stage and she hoped the group of guys had disappeared but no such luck. She looked over to her right and they were there, two of them watching her. What did they want? Did they not see her with Marko and David? Didn’t that put them off or did they want to die? She smiled at them, it was getting late and it was time for her to put her game face on. She would rather dupe these guys now than feel David’s wrath for not following through on his instructions later. Within minutes one of them had approached her, the others following.

‘Hi there.’ He said to her, leaning in a little too close.

‘Hello.’ She said, looking at the guy then over to his friends.

‘We saw you over near the entrance a little while ago. Was that your boyfriend you were with?’ She subtly shook her head. She wished he wasn’t her boyfriend anymore.

‘Good, Joel said one of them looked like your boyfriend but I didn’t think you would see someone like that, you’re far too hot for him.’ The main one said to her.

‘Which one?’ She asked.

‘Huh?’ The boy named Joel said.

‘Which on did you think was my boyfriend?’ She repeated.

‘The blonde one with the long black jacket. He had that vibe.’ She nodded and looked away. ‘So, who are they then?’

‘Just friends.’ She said, getting bored of this already. These guys were just kids.

‘Friends?’ He asked.

‘Yeah. They supply me with things.’ She said smelling weed coming off them and figuring that could be the pull to get all of them to go with her.

‘What kind of things?’ One of the others asked, a little more enthusiastic now they were on to a subject he was more interested in. She shrugged her shoulders.

‘What are you after? Paul has a range of supplies.’ She said losing her momentum in engaging with them as the seconds passed. The main guy put his arm around her and she shrank away from him. She didn’t want him touching her.

‘Is it good? Like quality stuff?’ Joel asked her and she nodded, making him smile.

‘How about we hook up with your mate Paul and then you and I go off and get better acquainted?’ That really didn’t sound appealing to her. Was this how this guy came on to chicks?

‘I wasn’t going to see him again tonight.’ She said.

‘Come on, we’ll be with you so you won’t have to stay long.’ The one named Joel said. You meet them, you won’t be staying alive long she thought.

‘Look Joel, it’s a really bad idea. I’d just rather stay away from them tonight.’ She said trying to back out of what she’d begun. ‘I don’t even know you, they are not going to be happy with me just bringing total strangers to them to buy drugs.’ She shook her head. ‘That’s not cool.’

‘Oh, well I’m Brad, this is Shaun, Steve and this is Joel.’ He said introducing them. They remained nameless faces to her. She didn’t care what their names were, they were just going to end up dead anyways.

‘What’s your name?’ Brad asked.

‘Star.’ She said, resigning herself to the fact she was going to have to go through with this whether she liked it or not.

‘Star. There you go, we all know each other. Let’s go see your friends, get some shit and then we can go somewhere else and get to know each other a little better.’ Brad said, sounding really sleazy and she tried to control her facial reaction to his comment.

‘Are your friends still here?’ Steve asked her.

‘They are down by the river.’ She said. ‘Wait, how old are you guys?’ She asked and their ages came back between eighteen and twenty.

‘Why?’ Brad asked.

‘Just wondering.’ She said. Just wondering how old the guys are whom she was leading to their deaths and how much potential life David would be taking from them.

'Our money is just as green as anybody elses.' Brad said to her and she knew David would be happy the'se boys had some cash on them. They walked down towards the Riverwalk Bridge and they talked about random shit between themselves which she tuned out. She couldn’t believe she was doing this again and she was feeling sick about it. Once they arrived there, she looked around and, being unable to see them, she was relieved and about to tell them the boys had gone, when Paul’s laughter rang out and she heard them under the Riverwalk Bridge, down on the sand by the water.

‘Come on.’ She said, and she led them down the bank towards where the boys were and as soon as the she walked down, David turned to look at her and she was sure he knew she’d been there the whole time. She walked up quietly and stood there, unsure of what to do.

‘Star?’ David said to her stepping forward.

‘Ahh… Hi. These guys were wanting to score something from Paul.’ Paul moved to stand near David and David looked them over, judging them as only David could, then with a half-smile appearing on his lips, he looked back at her. Brad then did the worst thing he could have done and he placed his arm around her shoulder and David’s smile melted. Star cringed at his touch and she looked at David, silently begging him to stop this.

‘Well… What are you after? Aside from my girl?’ David asked and Dwayne and Marko gathered a little closer as the mood changed. Star closed her eyes knowing exactly where this was going, and she looked around and spotted Laddie sitting right up under the bridge platform. He was watching the boys and she wanted to go to him, she was desperate for him not to see what was inevitably going to happen. Picking up on David’s change, Brad dropped his arm from Star’s shoulders and he looked at her.

‘I thought you said you weren’t with any of these guys?’ She heard him say but she kept her eyes on the ground, not wanting to see Brad’s look of betrayal or any look coming from David.

‘Listen, all we wanted was to get something to get high with and this chick said you could supply.’ Joel said. ‘That’s it. We don’t want your girl, do we Brad?’ Brad looked from Star to Joel and said a non-committal no.

‘Yeah, we can supply.’ She heard Paul say and she looked up and was met with David’s icy cold stare. ‘Come here, I got something for you.’ Paul said to Joel and Joel walked over to him and Star began to step away towards Laddie. She wanted to scream for them to run, to get away but it was too late as Joel emitted a deep pitched yell while Paul ripped a large hole in his shoulder and wrenched his head around, snapping his neck. Dwayne and Marko turned instantly and grabbed Shaun and Steve, making bloody messes of them on the sand. Star ran to grab Laddie, whose eyes were wide with shock but also, she saw they displayed the distinct red ring and yellow hue shining through.

‘Star! Star!!’ He began screaming and she picked him up and ran out onto the riverbed, flying off with him in her arms. She held him tight all the way back to the cave and didn’t let him go once they were there. The poor boy was shaking and she tried in vain to comfort him.

‘It’s alright.’ She said holding him and stroking his hair.

‘No, what are they? What were they doing? Were they eating them?!’ He scrambled to get his words out.

‘It’s alright, they’re not going to hurt you. Remember what I told you? I won’t let them hurt you.’

‘But they…’

‘Laddie,’ she pulled him away and looked into his eyes, ‘I won’t let them hurt you. OK? I promise.’ She hugged him again and held him until he had calmed down, the same way Dwayne had with her. She sat there with him laying on her chest for what seemed like ages, hating David for doing this to a child, and hating herself for allowing this to happen. Not that she had any power over David or over what he did, but she could have done something instead of just standing there. Suddenly Laddie stood and went to pick up his pile of new comics and his teddy bear and he climbed into his bed. She went to tuck him in and asked him if he was OK now and he nodded and she kissed him on his forehead then turned to walk away.

‘Star?’ She turned back to look at him. ‘Even though they scared me, I liked it when Paul made him bleed.’ She froze, not wanting to hear what he was saying. ‘Am I going to be like them one day?’ She looked at him with a flat expression, she wanted to scream and cry but she stood there.

‘No. Go to sleep Laddie.’ She walked to her bed and curled up into a ball, disbelieving what Laddie had just said to her and over the next ten minutes she tried to calm both herself and her thoughts down but it wasn’t happening so she sat up. She looked over towards Laddie and saw he’d crashed so she decided she would try find some of Paul’s smoke to try to settle herself. Maybe this was why they smoked so much. She put one of Paul’s rock ballad tapes on and searched around for Paul’s stash and, once she found it, she rolled herself a rather large messy joint. She sat in the main cave on one of the couches and sparked it, making herself cough harshly. The smoke worked quickly and before she was even half way through it, she was as smashed as she imagined Paul gets and her thoughts began to wander. Seeing Laddie’s eyes change and what he’d just said had deeply disturbed her and she was scared that he would change before she had a chance to save him. He was still so young and his desire to please Dwayne, combined with his need for acceptance by Paul and Marko and his fear of David, would have him killing someone within weeks and she couldn’t sit by and have that happen. They’d scared him and now getting him to do as they wanted would be easier than ever. She would never allow it to happen and even if it killed her, she would protect him from the evil that dwelled inside those boys. That dwelled inside her, and she would never knowingly lead anyone to them again either. The guilt over those four boys, and of Raoul too, was eating her alive. Her own weakness was concerning her too, more often than not when David would kiss her, she could taste the metallic tang lingering from his feeds and she was finding that she was no longer disgusted by the taste but rather enchanted by it and was even wanting more of it. David was still pressuring her but not openly, he was subtly pushing her by doing things like projecting his satisfaction when he killed onto her and kissing her just after feeding and it was working. But other than pushing her to kill and having sex with her on his terms, he was largely ignoring her now and he barely spoke to her other than to tell her what to do, which left her feeling very alone. She didn’t know if it was because she was resisting his urges for her to kill or because she’d done something wrong but he still was overly controlling of her and still wouldn’t allow her to do many things which had her feeling like a possession more than a girlfriend. She once thought he had love for her but now she questioned whether he ever really loved her. She’d over heard that when the boys went out without her, Paul, Marko and Dwayne all hooked up with random chicks, all of which probably ended up dead, and she wondered if David ever did too. He would rip her apart should she do the same thing yet he had the freedom to do whatever he pleased and this was exactly the type of relationship she didn’t want to be in. She had concluded that for anything to get any better for her, she was going to have to give in to him and turn or die. The only pleasure she truly had right now was when she was on the Boardwalk with Laddie where she felt free. In reality, it was a perceived freedom and not real but she enjoyed it all the same. It made her feel normal and just like other people and she loved immersing herself into the crowds and melting away the dangerous thoughts with the rock streaming out from the large speakers at the stage. Nobody looked at her differently, except when she was with the boys, and she’d even managed to catch a few of the tourist’s eyes and found that they would look at her the same way David had when he first met her and that gave her hope, hope that one day she might have a chance at love, true love, with a normal man and not a monster. Hope that she could escape from all this and maybe one day fall in love, get married and she could live happily ever after. She knew she was dreaming and there was no way this could ever become a reality because David would never let it happen but surely there must be a way. Vampires could die couldn’t they?

**0o0**

The boys appeared in the cave entrance and she sat up quickly, afraid to be caught with Paul’s stash but it was too late.

‘Oh… helping yourself huh?’ David asked judgingly as the rest of them spread out into the cave. Paul came and grabbed the bag off the table.

‘What did I tell you?’ Paul warned her, his face dark and unimpressed and he went to the other couch to roll him and the boys a couple of joints. David came and took the half joint off her and lit it not taking his eyes off her.

‘Sorry, I um…’ She struggled to find her words while he was looking at her like that, especially with how stoned she was.

‘You what?’ He prompted her.

‘I just needed to chill out after...’ She finally said looking up at David as he stood there.

‘After what Star? You stressed? Got a lot on your mind?’ The way he said it and the expression he was giving her made her think he knew what she’d been thinking and it scared her. ‘You should have stuck around Star, you missed out on one of the best stress relievers available.’ He said smirking, then his face changed. ‘Don’t you ever tell anyone you’re single again, you’re mine.’ He told her off and stalked over to his wheelchair, the boys chuckling at her. She looked over at him and he looked like a king in his castle, supremely confident in everything he did and she got up and went to her bed. Paul changed the music and the boys laughed and talked while she rolled over and tried not to let them see she was crying.


End file.
